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ERRATA  TO    BENJAMIN    M.  READ'S  "ILLUSTRATED   HIS- 
TORY OF  NEW  MEXI30,"  FIRST  ENGLISH  EDITION. 


Page  7  On  second  line  of  second  paragraph,  wliere  It  reads 
"IS'.W,"  should  be  "1599;"'  and  on  the  third  line  of  said 
paragraph,  after  the  word  "vva«,"  the  word  "undertaken" 
should  be  inserted;  and  the  words  "carried  into  et'l'ecf 
crossed  out. 
Page      5:5  On    line   fourteen,  after  "i53'.t,"    the  word  "Coronadu" 

should  be  inserted  in  lieu  of  the  word  "Cordova."' 
Page     108  Line  eighteen,  tlie  word  "west"  should  be  inserted  in  lieu 

of  the  word  "east." 
Page    117  The  ligures  in  the  foot-note  in  parenthesis  should  read 
thus,  after  the  word  "Ruiz"  "1581*'  and  "1582"  after  tiie 
word  "Espejo.'' 
Page     128  Line  five  from  bottom,  tlie  words  "about  the  middle  of 

October''  should  be  crossed  or  stricken  out. 
Page     150  Line  seven  from  top,  the  word  "Inedito"  should  read 

"Ineditos." 
Page    212  Line  two  from  l)otto  n,  after  the  word  "March,"    the 
words  "for  several  days  along  the  east  side  of  the  Rio 
Grande"  should  be  inserted. 
Page    213  Line  six  from  top  and  after  the  word  "and"'  insert  the 
words  "als  )  found;"' and  on  line  eight  from  top,  after 
the  word  "resppctively,"  msert  the  words  "From  Puaray 
he  continued  his  march  on  the  east   side  of   the  Rio 
Grande  until  he  reached  the  Pueblo  of  San  Juan  and"* 
Page    222  Line  twenty-nine  from  top  insert  ^'1599'"  in  lieu  of  "1598."" 
l^age    247  Line  eight  from  bottom,  cross  the  word  "April;""  and 
write  "Castaneda"  for  "Cardenas""  wherever  the  word 
'Cardenas'"  appears  in  foot  note  of  pages  247,248. 
Page    329  Cn   head-line,   change  "  1713""  so   as  to   make   it   read 
"1739;"  and   on  second  line  of  first  paragraph  change 
figures  "1713"  to  "1743."" 
Page    451  Line  nine  from  bottom,  where  it  reads  "1849,"' it  should 

read  "1847."" 
Page     724  On    line  five  after    the   word   "Cruz""   insert  the   word 
"Escalona  "    On  line  eight,  strike  out  the  words  "Fr. 
Francisw  L6pez."  Strike  out  the  rest  of  the  paragraph 
after  figures  "1542." 
Criticisms  and  suggestions  courteously  received. 

TIIE  Al'TIIOH. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY 

—  — OF== 

NEW  MEXICO 


BY 

BENJAMIN  M.  READ 

ATTORNEY  AT  LAW 


Author  of  the  Works 

Entitled:  "A  Historico-Synbptical  Sketch  of  the  Mex- 
ico-American War,"'  and  "Historia  Ilastrada  de  Nuevo 
Mexico." 

Ex-Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  New 
Mexico. 

(Translated  from  the  Second  Spanish  Edition — Revised 
enlarged,  corrected  and  with  notes). 
Four  books  in  one  volume. 


Translated    into    English    under    the    direction  of  the 
Author,  by 

ELEUTERIO  BACA,  OF  LAS  VEGAS,  N.  M. 


Copyright,  1912,  by  JBenjamin  M.  Read. 


NOTICE.— All  rights  reserved.  The  engravings  of  doc- 
uments, letters,  newspapers  and  individual  portraits  are 
copyrighted.  No  one  is  allowed,  under  penalty  of  the  law,  to 
reproduce  or  copy  them  without  my  written  permission. 

THE  AUTHOK. 


FIVE  HUNDRED  COPIES 


Printed  by  the  New  Mexican  Printing  Company 
No. ■ 


BENJAMIN  M.  READ, 
Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 


270643 


Dedicated 

to 

The  Memory  of  My  Mother 


THE  AUTHOR 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  1912 


PREFACE. 


The  author  of  this  work  entered  public  life  some  years  ago, 
as  a  school  teacher,  tilling  for  the  tirst  time  the  honored  post 
of  preceptor  of  the  College  of  the  Christian  Brothers,  vSanta 
Fe,  New  Mexico,  in  the  year  1876  and  continuing  thereafter 
for  several  years  in  charge  of  the  various  public  schools  of 
the  Capital.  Thus  it  was  that  he  came  through  personal 
observation,  and  after  many  and  very  careful  examinations  of 
the  several  writings  on  history,  to  notice  that  remarkable 
differences  and  striking  contradictions  exist  among  some  of 
the  English  speaking  authors,  in  their  respective  narratives 
of  historical  events  whenever  it  is  a  question  of  the  discovery 
of  America  by  Columbus,  the  conquest,  colonization  and 
christianization  of  Mexico  by  Cortes,  and  of  South  America 
by  Almagro  and  the  Pizarro  brothers.  The  author  of  this 
work  attributes  the  discrepancies  and  contradictions  of  the 
authors  mentioned  rather  to  the  fact  that  they  had, 
perforce,  to  depend  absolutely  on  the  translations  which  are 
supposed  to  have  been  made  from  ihe  original  works  and 
original  documents  by  translators  who,  by  reason  of  their 
never  having  seen  the  said  originals  and  also  because  of  their 
not  being  Spanish  scholars,  have  not,  in  almost  every 
instance,  rendered  into  correct  English  the  spirit  of  the 
original  texts,  changing  quite  often,  the  substance  of  the 
language  of  the  first  authors;  whence  the  result  has  been  that 
no  two  works  of  the  same  history,  translated  from  the 
Spanish  into  English,  by  different  translators  can  be  found  to 
agree  with  one  another  and  much  less  with  the  original 
works.  This  statement  is  easily  proved  by  simple  compari- 
sons of  the  works  of  these  writers,  with  the  original  accounts 
given  by  the  conquerors  and  first  authors.  Upon  comparison 
it  will  be  readily  seen  that,  although  they  give  long  lists  of  the 
first  authors,  and  even  of  the  discoverers  and  conquerors  of 
New  Mexico,  they  have  simply  had  former  translations 
retranslated.  The  greater  part  having  had,  it  seems,  a 
retranslation  made  of  the  incomplete,  incorrect  and  unreliable 


6  PRKFACE. 

translation  made  some  few  years  past,  by  one  DeThoma,  here 
in  Santa  Fe,  of  a  few  paragraphs  from  Bancroft's  "History  of 
Arizona  and  New^  Mexico,"  and  which  said  De  Thoma  pub- 
hshed  in  a  small  pamphlet  calling  it  "Historia  de  Nuevo 
Mejico."  De  Thoma,  though,  was  honest  enough  to  state 
that  what  he  gave  us  was  all  taken  from  Bancroft.  Some  of 
the  said  writers  on  New  Mexico  history  have,  it  appears,  used 
De  Thoma's  labors  clothed  in  boastful  verbosity  and  giving  it 
to  the  world  as  the  genuine,  true  and  accurate  history  of  New 
Mexico,  citing  the  notes  and  authorities  hsted  by  other 
writers  without  knowing  enough  Spanish  to  ascertain  the 
truth  of  the  translations  they  copy  from,  hence  the  great 
confusitm  extant  among  these  historians.  One  of  these 
students  of  New  Mexico  history  published  an  alleged  history 
of  New  Mexico,  in  1907,  in  which  he  makes  the  absurd  state- 
ment that  De  Vargas  "died  in  Bernalillo  while  on  his  way 
from  Santa  Pe  to  New  Mexico.'" 

The  author  of  this  work  does  not  intend  to  say  that  there 
has  not  been  both  sincere  and  competent  translations,  for 
most  assuredly  there  have  been  many  such.  For  instance 
Hodge's  translations  of  the  narratives  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  De 
Soto,  Coronado,  Castaiieda,  Jaramillo  and  other  discoverers 
and  conquerors  of  New  Mexico  do  not,  in  anything  impair 
the  sense  nor  the  meaning  of  the  original  narratives:  but 
some  of  the  English  speaking  authors  have,  apparently,  only 
copied  each  other  to  the  extent  that  no  two  of  them  agree  in 
their  translations  whence  a  great  deal  of  confusion  arises  in 
their  exposition  of  historical  events  and  incidents.  Such 
reasons  as  these  led  the  author  of  this  w^ork  to  dedicate 
many  years  to  the  study  of  the  original  writings,  with  the 
end  in  view  of  writing,  as  correctly  as  possible,  a  true  his- 
tory, fur  which  purpose  he  spared  neither  means  nor  ex- 
penses, and  now  he  offers  the  present  work  as  the  fruit  of 
his  labors. 

As  our  state  represents  four  distinct  epochs,  viz:  the  pre- 
historic epoch;  the  epoch  of  the  discovery  of  the  American 
Continent,  its  conquest,  christianization,  and  civilization  by 
Spain;  the  very  brief  epoch  of  its  permanence  under  the 
Mexican  government,  and,  finally,  the  history  of  the  Amer- 
ican epoch  or  the  epoch  of  our  own  day,  so  to  speak.    The 


PRKFACE.  7 

Author  has  deemed  it  more  apropos  to  write  this  work  in 
four  books  in  a  single  volume,  wherein  shall  be  presented 
first:  A  summary  or  compendium  of  the  theories  advanced 
by  historians  regarding  the  hitherto  unfathomed  arcanum 
of  the  origin  and  beginning  of  the  aborigines  that  inhabited 
this  continent  before  its  discovery  by  Columbus  and  the 
other  discoverers  who  followed  after  him.  Aside  from  the 
historical  summary  and  compendium  mentioned,  the  tirst 
book  will  contain  brief  accounts  of  all  that  pertains  to  that 
most  splendid  of  human  episodes  recorded  in  the  history  of 
the  world — the  discovery  of  America  and  the  conquest  of 
Mexico  (1492-1595)  for  between  those  two  dates,  besides  the 
great  discovery  the  following  events  crowded  upon  each 
other  in  rapid  succession,  viz:  the  celebrated  pilgrimage  of 
Alvar  Nuiiez  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  and  his  companions,  Andres 
Dorantes,  Alonzo  del  Castillo,  Maldonado  and  Estevanico,  the 
African;  the  expeditions  of  Fray  dela  Asuncion,  Fr.  Marcos 
de  Niza,  Francisco  Vdsquez  de  Coronado,  Pedro  de  Alvara- 
do,  Francisco  Ibarra,  Fray  Agustin  Rodriguez  (Ruiz),  Fray 
Beltran,  Antonio  de  Espejo,  Castano  de  Sosa,  Francisco  Ley- 
ba  y  Bonilla,  Juan  Humana  etc.,  etc. 

The  second  book  will  start  with  detailed  accounts  of  what 
happened  between  1595  and  1598r  Since  the  real  conquest 
and  colonization  of  New  Mexico  was  carried  into  effect 
between  those  dates  by  Don  Juan  de  Onate,  the  author  has 
deemed  it  his  duty  to  enter  into  more  extensive  details  of 
Onate's  expedition,  as  he  was  the  first  conqueror  and  pacifier 
of  New  Mexico. 

In  the  third  book  the  main  events  will  be  related  which 
resulted  from  material,  industrial  and  religious  development 
— all  due  as  a  whole,  or,  in  the  largest  part  to  the  activities 
of  the  Catholic  Church  and  her  missionaries:  the  uprising  of 
the  natives  which  gave  as  its  sequel  the  defeat  and  tlight  of 
the  Spaniards  under  Governor  Antonio  Otermin:  the  recon- 
quest  and  permanent  pacification  of  the  Territory  by  Don 
Diego  de  Vargas,  Zapata  Lujan,  Ponce  de  Leon  or  all  that 
occurred  between  the  years  1593  and  1703. 

The  fourth  book  will  contain  important  illustrations,  and 
information  in  detail  of  all  that  happened  during  the  regime 
or  dominion  of  the  governments  of  Spain  and  Mexico  iii.  t.» 


8  PREFACE. 

the  year  1848  when  the  formal  annexation  of  the  Territory  to 
the  American  Union  took  place.  This  last  book  also  contains 
several  appendixes  and  biographical  sketches  of  prominent 
citizens  of  the  State  together  with  the  photographs  of 
many  of  them. 

The  lack  of  exactness  in  the  various  translations  and  the 
irreconcilable  contradictions  of  the  aforesaid  historians  in 
regard  to  what  the  original  narrators  did  say  concerning 
the  discovery  and  conquest  of  New  Mexico,  as  well  as  the 
very  evident  want  of  harmony  between  said  historians  and 
the  Spanish  and  Mexican  historians  in  reference  to  points  of 
great  historical  importance  were  motives  that  induced  the 
author  of  this  book  to  make  researches  in  Madrid  and  Bar- 
celona, Spain,  in  order  to'offer  his  readers  the  history  of  our 
State  as  written  and  published  by  the  explorers,  conquerors 
and  old  writers,  that  is,  in  such  manner  as  it  is  found  in  the 
manuscripts,  and  old  books  first  published.  I  have  been 
completely  successful  in  my  efforts,  as  I  have  found  every- 
thing I  longed  for,  being  thus  enabled  to  present  to  the 
public,  with  the  utmost  pleasure,  a  true,  complete  and  accu- 
rate picture  of  the  interesting  voyages  and  achievements  of 
the  men  who  so  gloriously  accomplished  them,  that  thus  my 
readers  may  be  able  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  which  they  will 
surely  feel  in  the  reading  of  narratives  so  astounding  as  to 
border  on  the  romantic,  the  sublime,  the  incredible. 

In  order  to  obtain  these  works  it  became  necessary,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  expense  I  had  to  incur,  to  have  the  co-operation 
of  persons  settled  in  Spain,  and,  luckily,  personal  friends 
of  mine,  became  interested  in  helping  me.  In  Granada, 
Spain,  my  distinguished  friend,  Doctor  Don  Luis  Herndndez, 
for  some  years  resident  of  New  Mexico,  was  the  gentleman 
who  secured  for  me  the  valuable  services  of  Seiior  Antonio 
Aragon  Montejo,  a  professor  of  Madrid,  and  also  of  Don  Fran- 
cisco Sicilia,  a  prominent  attorney  of  the  capital  of  Spain,  for 
the  purpose  of  looking  in  the  libraries  of  that  city,  for  the 
documents  I  needed.  To  these  gentlemen,  the  author  of 
this  work  takes  herewith  the  grateful  pleasure  of  tendering 
his  most  sincere  and  heartfelt  thanks  for  their  help  and 
co-operation.  Besides  this  expression  of  gratitude,  so  justly 
due  and  so  well  deserved,  the  author  desires  also  to  add,  to 


PREFACE.  () 

the  names  ot  the  persons  already  mentioned,  the  names  of 
others,  whom  he  is  also  very  thankfully  indebted  to,  for 
having  helped  him  with  very  old  autographic  and  inedited 
documents  whose  historical  value  is  of  incalculable  weight, 
and  which,  by  reason  of  their  having  not  been  known  before, 
will  add  to  the  originality  and  interest  of  this  history,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  will  be  a  complete  rectification  of  many 
errors  found  published,  in  many  books  of  history,  as  events 
that  really  occurred.  These  gentlemen  are:  The  Rev.  Joseph 
Pugens,  worthy  Secretary  to  his  Grace,  Archbishop  Pitaval, 
whose  assistance  in  examining  old  autographs  has  been  of 
great  use  to  me;  Don  Santiago  Valdez  and  his  wife,  Dofia 
Agustina  V.  de  Valdez,  of  Taos,  who  during  their  lifetime, 
donated  me  documents  of  the  rarest  importance  without 
which  a  large  portion  of  this  history  would  have  been  incom- 
plete: Don  Juan  Delgado,  of  Santa  Fe,  in  whose  hands  I  found 
a  very  precious  collection  of  inedited  documents  of  great 
historical  value;  Mr.  Thomas  B.  Catron,  who  furnished  me 
with  valuable  works  of  historiographers  of  repute;  Mr.  L. 
Bradford  Prince,  ex-Governor  of  New  Mexico  and  author  of 
the  first  English  History  of  New  Mexico  written  after  the 
annexation;  Captain  Don  Rafael  Chacon  and  his  son.  Attorney 
E.  Chacon,  of  Trinidad,  Colorado,  who  furnished  me  with 
some  very  important  data;  Don  Matias  Dominguez,  of 
Santa  Pe,  in  w^hose  possession  is  found  the  report  of  the 
counter  movement  in  1837  by  Armijo  and  other  patriotic 
citizens  to  put  down  the  Chiraayo  rebellion;  Don  Demetrio 
P^rez  and  the  Secretary  of  State,  Hon.  Antonio  J.  Lucero. 
The  method  pursued  in  the  narratives  of  the  conquerors,  their 
historians,  and  those  that  succeeded  them,  by  the  author  has 
been  to  base  his  statements  strictly  on  the  history  itself 
without  supplementing  it  with  his  individual  opinion  but 
leaving  to  his  readers  the  opportunity  of  forming  their  own 
ideas. 

In  conclusion,  I  have  to  state  that  I  keenly  appreciate  the 
undeserved  praise,  expressions  of  commendation  and  appre- 
ciation of  this  work  of  mine  by  such  men  as  Archbishop  Pita- 
val, ex-Gov.  L.  Bradford  Prince,  Hon.  O.  A.  Larrazolo,  Pro- 
fessor A.  M.  Espinosa  (of  Stanford  University),  Judge  E.  V. 
Long,  Rev.  P.  Tommasini,  S.   J.,  Hon.  R.  E.  Twitchell,  Hon. 


10  PREFACE. 

Antonio  J.  Lucero,  Don  Demetrio  Perez,  and  other  men  of 
high  standing  in  the  world  of  letters,  and  also,  of  the  favor- 
able comments  of  the  public  press,  but  more  especially  of  La 
Revista  de  Taos,  the  Santa  Fe  New  Mexican,  Revista  Cato- 
lica,  La  Bandera  Americana,  La  Voz  del  Pueblo  and  El  Eco  del 
Valle,  all  of  New  Mexico  and  El  Progreso,  Trinidad,  Colorado. 
These  unmerited  compliments  make  me  feel  very  sensibly 
my  shortcomings  in  attaining  my  ideal  of  an  accurate  history. 
Conscious  of  my  limited  ability  I  have  absolutely  discarded 
all  sorts  of  verbosity  and  also  my  own  conclusions  on  all  mat- 
ters not  based  on  undisputed  original  authority,  reahzing 
fully  the  difference  which  exists  between  what  one  aspires  to 
accomplish  and  what  is  actually  accomplished, 

BENJAMIN  M.  READ, 
Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico. 


ADDENDUM  TO  THE  PROLOGUE. 


Among  the  authorities  I  failed  to  receive  from  Spain  in 
time  for  my  first  Spanish  Edition  of  this  work,  but  u  hicli 
were  subsequently  received  and  &re  now  included  in  this  my 
first  English  Edition,  are  the  appointment  of  Fr.  Marcos  de 
Niza.  his  journey  to  the  Cibola  Country  (Zuni),  iiis  report 
and  claims  of  Hernan  Cortes,  all  in  Niza's  own  "REFjA- 
CION;"  also  the  depositions  of  Pedro  de  Bustamante,  Her- 
nan Gallegos  and  Hernando  Barrado,  Bancroft  erroneously 
calls  him  "Barrundo,"  (three  of  the  eight  soldiers  that  ac- 
companied Chamus^ado  and  Brother  Augustin  Rodriguez 
(Ruiz),  Fr.  Francisco  L6pez  and  Fr.  Juan  de  Santa  Maria 
to  New  Mexico  in  1581),  given  before  Viceroy  Mendoza  in 
Mexico  as  follows:  The  testimony  of  Hernan  Gallegos  and 
Pedro  de  Bustamante  was  taken  on  the  15th  day  of  May, 
1582,  and  the  testimony  of  Hernando  Barrado  was  taken  in 
Mexico  on  the  20th  day  of  October,  1582.  From  the  testi- 
mony of  Bustamante  it  was  learned  that  Francisco  Sanchez 
Chamuscado,  who  was  accompanying  them  to  Mexico,  had 
died  on  the  way,  30  leagues  from  Santa  Barbara.  From  the 
testimony  of  Barrado  it  was  first  learned  in  Mexico  of  the 
death  of  the  three  mentioned  Religious.  Many  other  authen- 
tic official  documents,  received  also  after  my  first  Spanish 
Edition  had  gone  to  press,  are  now  included  in  this  English 
Edition,  among  them  being  the  last  report  from  Coronado  to 
the  King,  dated  Tiguex,  October  20th,  1541.  Also  the  in- 
augural address  of  Governor  Albino  Perez,  delivered  in 
Santa  Fe,  June  1835,  by  which  it  is  conclusively  shown  the 
date  of  his  arriving  in  Santa  Fe  from  Old  Mexico.  These 
additions  will  make  of  this  first  English  Edition  as  complete 
a  history  as  it  is  possible  to  make  it,  making  it,  at  the  same 
time,  absolutely  accurate  and  authentic. 

I  want  to  say  that  my  collections  of  authorities,  as  well  as 
my  correspondence  with  my  literary  agents  in  Spain  and  in 
America,  relative  to  my  researches,  etc.,  are  at  the  dispo.sal 
of  all  persons  who  may  wish  to  examine  these  valuable  docu- 
ments. 


12  ADDENDUM  TO  THE  PROLOGUE. 

In  conclusion  the  reader  is  asked,  if  he  has  the  opportun- 
ity so  to  do,  to  examine  carefully  the  many  works  written 
on  New  Mexico  history  that  he  may  judge  for  himself  of  the 
*'very  uneven  quaUty"'  (using  Bancroft's  words),  "with  not 
few  errors,  and  more  omissions — defects  due  in  most  cases 
not  so  much  to  the  incompetence  of  the  authors  as  to  the 
inaccessibility  of  original  authorities."  Some  of  these  au- 
thors claim  that  the  most  important  works  for  New  Mexican 
history  are  Torquemada,  {Monarquia  Indiana),  Clavijero, 
Oviedo,  Gomara,  Ventacurt,  Herrera,  Mendieta,  Mota  Pa- 
dilla  and  Villagr^.  Of  these  authors  only  Torquemada,  Mota 
Padilla  and  Villagra,  are  authorities,  somewhat  limited, 
though,  Torquemada's  work,  published  in  1723,  can  only 
be  considered  important  on  New  Mexico  history  in  so  far  as 
it  deals,  briefly  and  unsatisfactorily,  though,  with  the  jour- 
neys of  Coronado,  Niza  and  Fathers  Lopez,  Juan  de  Santa 
Maria  and  Brother  Ruiz— (Rodriguez)  w4io  was  not  a  priest 
as  is  generally  and  erroneously  stated  by  many  historians, 
(Torquemada's  "Monarquia  Indiana"  vol.  3,  p.  626)  and  with 
Onate"s  journey  and  the  troubles  between  the  Fransiscan 
Fathers  and  Onate  (Torquemada,  "Monarquia  Indiana,"  vol. 
1,  p.  672-678  et  seq)  certain  as  it  is  that  he  never  saw  the  re- 
ports of  Coronado,  Castaneda,  etc.,  noi-  the  testimony  of 
Pedro  de  Bustamante  and  Hernan  Gallegos,  given  in  May, 
1582  nor  that  of  Hernando  Barrado,  given  in  October,  same 
year,  before  viceroy  Mendoza,  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  as 
stated  above,  regarding  the  journey  of  the  Fathers  L6pez 
and  De  Santa  Maria  and  Brother  Ruiz.  This  is  evident,  for 
he,  Torquemada,  says  in  vol.  3,  p.  626,  supra,  that  these  sol- 
diers (who  came  with  Ruiz  etc.,  under  Chamuscado)  did  not 
reach  New  Mexico,  that  they,  said  soldiers,  had  abandoned 
the  Fathers,  etc.,  after  they  had  traveled  250  leagues,  and 
that  the  Fathers  and  Brother  Ruiz  "continued  the  journej' 
until  they  reached  New  Mexico."  Says  Torquemada,  "Acom- 
pafuironle  en  este  viaje,  que  fu6  afio  de  1581,  diez  o  doce 
soldados,  que  se  le  juntaron  de  su  mera  voluntad,  aunque 
que  con  diferente  espiritu  del  que  estos  Religiosos  llevaban, 
porque  haviendo  andado  250  leguas  dende  Mexico,  y  viendo 
que  se  metian  muy  lexos  del  socorro,  si  lo  hubiesen  me- 
nester,  y  entre  mucha  gente,  siendo  ellos  tan  pocos,  acorda- 


ADDENDUM    TO   TIIK    PKOr.OdCi:.  ];; 

ron  de  dar  buelta  para  Tierra  de  Christianos,  como  lo  liicic- 
ron.  Los  frailes  prosiguieron  su  viaje  viondo  quo  los 
Naturales  de  aquellas  Tierras,  por  todas  ellas  los  rcc-ibian 
amorosamente,  y  pasaron  otras  IjO  leguas  mas  adi'lantc, 
hasta  Nuevo  Mexico,  que  ellos  fueron  los  que  pusienjn  csU; 
nombre.'' 

The  report  of  Bustamante,  Gallegos  and  Barrado,  reference 
to  which  the  reader  will  tind  at  the  proper  place  in  this  work, 
and  which  is  in  my  possession,  proves  conclusively,  that  said 
soldiers,  under  Chamuscado,  did  accompany  the  Padres  and 
Ruiz — as  already  shown — as  far  as  New  Mexico;  that  they, 
the  soldiers,  discovered  mines  in  New  Mexico  and  had  left 
Ruiz  and  the  two  Fathers  at  Puaray  (near  Bernalillo).  Outside 
of  these  events — the  Coronado,  Niza  and  Ruiz  and  Oilate 
events — Torquemada  is  of  absolutely  no  importance  to  New 
Mexico  history,  and,  as  the  reader  will  observe,  he,  Torque- 
mada, is  at  variance  with  Coronado,  Bustamante,  Gallegos 
and  Barrado — the  only  original  authorities  on  that  point,  all 
of  which  I  have  received  direct  from  Spain,  and  fails  to 
mention  Castano  de  Sosa,  Humana,  Bonilla,  Lomas  de  Colme- 
nares  and  others  who  tigured  prominently  in  New  Mexico 
history. 

As  to  Villagra's  "Historia  de  la  Nuevo  Mexico,"  while  it 
does  not  cover  all  of  Onate's  government  it  is,  so  far  as  it 
goes,  the  best  on  the  periods  it  covers.  Clavijero,  Jesuit 
historian,  and  Mota  Padilla  are  very,  very  brief,  as  brief  and 
as  deficient  as  Torquemada,  neither  of  them  can  be  classed  as 
authority  for,  like  Torquemada,  when  put  against  the  original 
reports  of  Niza,  Coronado,  Castaneda,  Espejo,  Castafio  de 
Sosa,  De  Vargas  and  the  other  real  actors  they  fall  to  the 
ground.  As  to  the  other  authors  so  mentioned,  none  of  them 
wrote  much  on  New  Mexico,  and  it  would  have  been  impos- 
sible for  them  to  do  so.  Oviedo  (also  a  priest)  the  famous 
Spanish  historian  died  in  1557,  twenty-four  years  prior  to 
Ruiz's  journey,  his  work,  "Sumario  de  la  Historia  General  y 
Natural  de  las  IndiasOccidentales,''  was  published  in  Toledo, 
Spain,  in  1526  (before  Cabeza  de  Vaca's  famous  journey 
across  the  continent),  and  again  in  1535,  he  republished  the 
same  work,  amplitied  in  21  volumes.  Gomara  (also  a  Padre) 
was  Chaplain   to    Cortes  in  Spain,   in   1540,   published    his 


14  ADDENDUM  TO  THE  PROLOGUE. 

"Hispana  Vitrix  in  1552,  de  todo  lo  acaecido  hasta  1551," 
erroneously  mentions  Coronado's  journey,  etc.,  (all  that  had 
happened  until  1551)."'  This  work  was  afterwards  condemned 
by  the  king  of  Spain  on  account  of  being  inaccurate  and 
unreliable  (this  work  I  have  also).  Gomara  died  in  Spain  in 
1556,  consequently  he  never  wrote  much  on  New  Mexico. 

Ventacurt,  Mendieta,  etc.,  do  not,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able 
to  discover,  dwell  on  our  history  in  such  manner  as  to  be 
considered  authorities, and  none  of  the  lot,  outside  of  Villagrd, 
can  be  cited  as  reliable  authorities  for  the  reasons  stated;  as 
to  Herrera,  I  have  not  yet  heard  nor  found  any  author  or 
authors  of  that  name  outside  of  the  Herrera  who  wrote  an 
"Historia  General,'' whoever  wrote  on  our  history.  Two  such 
names  figure  in  our  history  that  is  to  say,  officially  but  not  as 
authors,  these  are — Sebastian  Herrera,  who  was  captain  in 
the  Spanish  army  in  New  Mexico,  at  the  time  Otermin  and 
the  other  Spaniards  were  expelled  from  New  Mexico  in  1680, 
and  the  other,  Nicolas  Herrera,  also  a  captain  in  the  Spanish 
army  in  New  Mexico  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  Mendieta,  who  wrote  his  work,  "Historia  Eclesias- 
tica,"  two  years  prior  toOfiate's  entry  into  New  Mexico  could 
not,  under  any  circumstances,  have  written  on  New  Mexico, 
his  work  was  published  in  1596-1599,  and  Oflate's  conquest  of 
New  Mexico  was  effected  in  1598-1599.  So  far  as  my  investi- 
gations have  enabled  me  to  discover  the  truth,  Bancroft  is  the 
only  one  of  former  authors  that  quotes  Mendieta,  but  not  as 
an  authority,  saying  that  Mendieta  "merely  wrote  notes  that 
the  viceroy  is  now  fitting  out  O's  (Onate)  expedition.""  (Bacft. 
Ariz.  &  New  Mex.  Ill  note  1).  It  is  thus  seen  how  easy  it  is 
for  the  ablest  of  historians  to  fall  into  error  when  they  are 
not  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  language  the  original 
authorities  are  written  in,  having,  necessarily  to  depend  upon 
former  authors  who,  for  the  reason  stated,  were  just  as  much 
in  error,  and  who  it  is  evident,  never  saw  the  source  of  their 
information,  and  had  to  depend  on  translations,  tradition  or 
hearsay  evidence.*  At  the  present  time,  fortunately,  no  his- 

*  Many  authors  rely  wholly  on  John  Gilmary's  Shea's  works, 
which  are  as  faithful  as  the  works  of  any  other  honest,  well  meanini;' 
author.  Mr.  Shea,  though,  on  what  he  says  on  Cabeza  de  Vaca, 
Ni/a,  Coronado,  etc.,  relies  absolutely  on  translations  and  collections 


ADDENDUM  TO  THK  PKOLOCUH.  If) 

torian  depends  on  such  writers,  since  the  real  facts  exist  and 
are  accessible,  specially  when  it  is  shown  that  noni'  of  thn 
former  old  historians,  barring,  of  course,  those  who  wen* 
discoverers  or  conquerors  and  historians  like  Cabeza  de  Vaca, 
Castaileda,  Coronado,  Jaramillo,  Villagrk,  Ofiate,  etc.,  and  a 
few  others  agree  with  the  original  narrations,  some  of  which 
were  not  accessible  until  a  few  years  ago. 

BENJAMIN  M.  READ, 
Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  1912. 

made  by  others  and  not  on  having'  seen  the  original  official  reports  of 
the  explorers,  conquerors,  etc.  For  his  references  on  Cabeza  de 
Vaca's  journey  he  depends  on  a  work  published  in  Washington  for 
Geo.  W.  Riggs,  Jr.,  in  1851  under  the  title  of  "Shipwrecks  of  Alvar 
Niifiez  Cabeza  de  Vaca,"  by  Buckingham  Smith.— For  his,  Shea's, 
authority  on  what  he  says  on  Niza, Coronado,  etc.,  he  relies  on  a  col- 
lection made  by  Najera,  same  being  an  appendix  to  his,  Niijera's. 
work  entitled  "Kelacion  de  Castafieda  de  Ndjera."  See  Shea's  "Dis- 
covery of  the  Mississippi."'— Thr  Author. 


NOTICE  TO  THE  FIRST  PUBLICATION  OF  THIS  WORK  IN 
THE  ENCLISH  LANCUACE. 
The  publication  of  my  "tlistoria  Ilustrada  de  Xuevo  Mex- 
ico" in  the  English  Language,  under  the  title  of  "Illustrated 
History  of  New  Mexico"' is  made  from  the  second  Spanish 
edition  after  it  had  been  carefully  revised,  corrected,  am- 
plitied  and  improved  with  convenient  and  necessary  annota- 
tions adding  to  it  many  and  very  important  matters.  That 
circumstance,  together  with  the  elimination  of  several  minor 
things  of  a  purely  local  and  private  nature  which,  throuj^h 
erroneous  information  furnished  me  were  included  in  the 
work,  gives  greater  importance  to  this  edition,  making  it 
thereby  more  exact  and  much  more  interesting.  — Tmc 
Author. 


CONTENTS. 

Book  I. 

Chapter  I. — Prehistoric  Times— Mythological  Hypothesis  of 
Historians  in  regard  to  the  origin  and  civilization  of  the 
Indigenous  Races — The  Aztecs  and  their  Empire.  .;53-4h 

Chapter  II.- -The  Aborigines  of  New  Mexico — What  is 
gathered  from  their  traditions  regarding  their  Origin 
and  Source — Discovery  of  America — Empire  of  Monte- 
zumas — Conquest  of  Mexico — Cortes  and  Cuahute- 
moc 49-69 

Chapter  III — Accounts  given  by  Alvar  Niiilez  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  of  the  Tragical  end  of  the  Armada  of  Pdntilo  de 
Narvaez — Graphic  Narrative  of  all  that  happened  between 
the  years  1528-1536,  and  in  the  wonderful  journey  made 
from  coast  to  coast  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  three 
companions    70-98 

Chapter  IV. — The  journey  of  Pray  Juan  de  la  Asunci6n  and 
of  Fray  Marcos  de  Niza — Niza  is  accompanied  by  Este- 
vanico,  a  friar  named  Onorato  and  some  Indians  from 
New  Galicia — Description  of  the  journey  to  Cibola  (Zuni) 
and  death  of  Estevanico — Niza  takes  possession  and 
names  the  Province — Niza's  return  to  Mexico— Cortes 
disputes  thediscovery  of  New  Mexico  against  Niza. 99  118 

Chapter  V. — Useless  efforts  of  Nuilo  de  Guzman  to  find 
Cibola — Foundation  of  Culiacan  and  the  Province  of  New 
Galicia  by  Guzman — Tradition  concerning  the  seven 
cities — Diego  de  la  Torre  Successor  to  Guzman — Coro- 
nado  successor  to  Diego  de  la  Torre — Mendoza  under- 
takes the  discovery  of  Cibola — Coronado  and  his  expedi- 
tion— Outcome  of  the  expedition  and  its  return — The 
whole  thing  a  total  failure— Fathers  Juan  de  Padilla  and 
Juan  de  la  Cruz,  the  first  martyrs  in  New  Mexico.  119-166 

Chapter  VI. — The  Foundation  of  Santa  Fe  discussed — Voy- 
ages of  Francisco  Ibarra — Fr.Augustin  Rodriguez  (Ruiz) 
— Fr.  Francisco  Lopez  and  Fr.  Juan  de  Santa  Maria  - 
Chamuscado  accompanies  them — Fr.  Bernardino  Beltran 
— Antonio  de  Espejo — New  Mexico  is  named — Castaflo 
de  Sosa — Bonilla  and  Juan  Humaila — F^nd  of  the  First 
Book  168-l<f2 


20      ■  ^  CONTENTS. 

Book   IL 

Chapter  I. — Epoch  of  Onate's  Entry — The  conquest  is  made 
in  fact— Christianization  and  Pacification  of  the  Indigenes 
of  New  Mexico 193-216 

Ciiapter  II. — Various  voyages  of  Onate — Firstcolony  founded 
with  the  name  of  "San  Francisco'' — Mob  in  the  colony — 
A  few  colonists  take  to  flight — Villagra  imprisons  them 
and  punishes  two  of  them  by  hanging — Onate  decides  to 
discover  the  Gulf  of  California — Uprising  of  the  Acomas 
— Villagra  is  sent  to  Mexico — Dissentions  and  complaints 
of  the  priests — Other  incidents 217-232 

Chapter  III.  -  Onate  gives  report  of  his  operations  and  asks 
assistance  to  follow  up  the  Conquest — Sends  emissaries 
to  Spain  and  Mexico.  The  differences  among  the  colonists 
and  the  army  are  accentuated  to  a  perilous  point — 
Onate's  voyage  to  La  Quivira — Fatal  outcome  of  the 
differences— The  King  grants  Onate  and  all  his  people 
the  title  of  Hijosdalgos — Onate  crowns  his  voyage  of  con- 
quest with  a  prosperous  trip  to  the  Gulf  of  California 
and  the  Foundation  of  the  City  of  Santa  Fe 233-248 

Book  m. 

Chapter  I.— The  new  Governor,  Don  Pedro  de  Peralta, 
assumes  the  reins  of  the  government — Fr.  Alonzo  Pineda 
arrives  as  Commissary  of  the  Franciscans  and  as  suc- 
cessor to  Father  Fr.  de  Escobar — Fr.  Estevan  Perea 
succeeds  Fr.  Alonzo  de  Pineda — Not  known  whether  Don 
Pedro  de  Peralta  governed  to  1620 — Nor  is  it  known  who 
were  his  successors — New  difficulties  breakout  afresh 
among  the  Political  and  Religious  authorities- -Father 
Fr,  Geronimo  de  Zarate  Salmeron  relieves  Fr.  Estevan 
Perea — Indian  conversions  continue — The  Spanish  set- 
tlements increase — New  Mexico  is  raised  to  a  Custodia 
y  and  Father  Benavides  is  assigned  as  tirst  Custodian — 
New  Mexico  is  given  another  governor — History  of  New 
Mexico  by  Fr.  De  Benavides — Names  of  the  Governors. 
249-257 

Chapter  II. — The  murder  of  Fathers  Arvide  and  Letrado  and 
poisoning  of  Farther  Parras — The  murder  of  Governor 
Rosas — Peflaloza  and  the  Priests— Trip  of  Peflaloza  to 
Mexico—He  is   punished  as  a  blasphemer— His  journey 


CONTENTS.  -Jl 

to  France  and  England — He  betrays  his  Sovereij^n — Up- 

rising  of  the  Indians 258-2()i') 

Chapter  III. — Indian  uprising  and  departure  of  Otermin — 
Headed  to  Paso  del  Norte—What  follows  is  taken  from  the 
account  of  Otermin  which  is  found  published  as  Ap- 
pendix III.     Volume  1  of  Villagra  on  page  eleven  et  seq. 

2()6.271 

Chapter  IV.— Fii-st  entry  of  De  Vargas 272-294 

Chapter  V. — Second  entry  of  De  Vargas— First  taking  of 
Santa  Fe- Faithful  Juan  Ye  discovers  the  conspiracy- 
Terrible  struggle — Final  taking  of  the  Villa — The  faith- 
ful Pecos  Indians — Fr.  Farfan  asks  for  help — The  parti- 
tion and  cultivation  of  the  land  begins.  New  uprisings 
— Surrender  of  the  Apaches — Letter  to  Father  Farfan — 
Hostile  encounters  continue — Diplomacy  of  De  Vargas 
towards  the  rebels — Arrival  of  Father  Farfan  and  his 
his  colonists — Campaign  against  the  Teguas— Founding 
of  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada — Another  uprising— Death 
of  7  priests  and  20  soldiers — New  Governor — Charges 
against  De  Vargas 295-8 1() 

Book  IV. 

Chapter  I. — Government  administration  of  Don  Pedro  Rodri- 
guez de  Cubero— Arrival  of  De  Vargas— His  Govern- 
ment lasts  a  short  time — Dies  four  months  after  his 
arrival — His  last  will  and  testament— Francisco  Cuervo 
y  Valdez — Founding  of  Albuquerque— Chacon  succeeds 
Valdez — Governor  Chacon  and  his  government  adminis- 
tration— Don  Feliz  Martinez  and  his  government— Epoch 
of  Governor  Autonio  Velarde  y  Cosio— The  Franciscans 
establish  Public  Schools  (1717)— Administration  of  Bus- 
tamante— Trade  with  the  French— French  Colony— First 
visit  of  a  Bishop— Jesuit  Fathers  — Accusation  against 
Bustamante— Incumbency  of  Governors  Mendoza,  D. 
Manuel  Portilio  Urrizola— CoUados  y  Rabal— Capuchin 
D.  Tomas  Velez  Capuchin— Don  Manuel  Portilio  Urrizo- 
la—Tomas  Velez  Capuchin  Cubero  names  "Gaiisteo" 
(1697)— French  expedition  (1698)— Cubero  designates  the 
Pueblo  of  the  Queres  with  the  name  of  "San  Jose  de  La 
Laguna-'  (1()99) 817-332 


22  CONTENTS. 

Chapter  II — Administration  of  Mendinueta— A  Historical 
Flood  and  Innundation— Harmony  between  the  Civil  and 
Religious  Authorities — Treaty  with  the  Comanches — 
Historical  account  by  Mendinueta— Other  events — Har- 
mony between  the  government  and  the  church — A  priest 
discovers  Salt  Lake — Change  in  the  form  of  government 
— Trivol  and  Anza — D.  Manuel  Flon  is  appomted  Gover- 
nor, but  does  not  assume  the  government — Don  Fernando 
de  La  Concha  arrives — Abiquiu,  Ojo  Caliente,  Embudo, 
Chama  andSantaCruz  are  again  settled  by  the  Spaniards. 
333-344 

Chapter  III — Historical  events  that  were  recorded  between 
the  years  1794-1814— Fruits  and  advantages  from  the 
goverment  of  governnors  Fernando  Chacon,  Alencaster 
and  Manrique — First  arrival  of  North  American  mer- 
chants— Election  of  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino  to  the 
Spanish  Congress— His  "History"'  and  interesting  ad- 
dress   345-360 

Chapter  IV — Names  of  the  governors  continued — End  of  the 
Spanish  and  beginning  of  the  Mexican  government — 
Two  Colleges  are  established — The  First  Provincial  De- 
putation— Visit  of  the  Bishop  of  Durango — The  First 
Newspaper — Benfs  Fort— Incoming  of  Governor  Perez — 
His  Inaugural  Address — The  revolution  of  the  Chima- 
yoes — Death  of  Governor  Perez  and  other  officials — 
Patriotism  of  Armijo  and  other  citizens — Death  of  the 
Insurrecto  Chieftains — Triumph  of  Law  and  Justice — 
Other  incidents — Armijo  assumes  the  command  of  the 
forces — The  Insurrectos  surrender — Imprisonment  and 
punishment  of  their  chiefs — A  sedition  breeder  escapes 
at  Santa  Cruz — Issues  an  Insurrection  Proclamation — 
Claims  made  by  American  Merchants 361-393 

Chapter  V. — Armijo  makes  a  report  to  the  government — Is 
confirmed  in  office— Is  suspended  temporarily— Lejanza 
and  Chaves  act  ad  Interim — The  government  system  is 
changed — Custom  Duties  are  established  at  Taos — Dis- 
covery of  the  "Placer  Viejo'  and  other  minerals — Expan- 
sion of  Mercantile  Trade — American  Consulate  and  U. 
S.  Commercial  Agency  in  Santa  Fe — Texas   Invasion — 


CONTENTS.  '2ii 

McLeod  surrenders  with  all  his  Force  Other  Texan 
Expeditions ;ji»4.409 

Cluipter  VI.— The  Utes  attack  Governor  Martinez;—  Heroism 
of  the  Governor's  wife— Last  Election  of  Senators  and 
members  of  the  Mexican  Congress  and  Territorial  Offi- 
cial, Under  Mexican  Rule — Invasion  of  the  American 
Army— March  of  the  American  Army — Taking  of  Santa 
Fe— Organization  of  the  New  Government— Formal  Ap- 
pointment of  Officers— An  Anti-American  Pronounce- 
ment— Bent  starts  for  Taos  and  is  assassinated— Others 
die  with  him — Padre  Martinez  saves  an  American — And 
the  families  of  the  murdered  men — Murders  in  Mora 
and  Las  Vegas— Measures  are  taken  for  the  punish- 
ment of  the  rebels — Surrender  of  the  Taos  Indians  and 
execution  of  their  chief — Assault  and  punishment  of  the 
Mora  Insurrectos — End  of  the  War  with  Mexico — 
Historical  letter  from  California 410-452 

Chapter  VII. — Price  assumes  charge  of  the  government — 
The  people  are  split  into  factions — A  convention  meets 
and  adopts  a  memorial  to  Congress  asking  for  a  Terri- 
torial government — Visit  of  Cure.  Ortiz  to  repatriate 
Mexicans— Formal  organization  of  opposing  parties — 
Organizationof  a  State  Government— Election  of  Senators 
— Protest  of  Governor  Monroe — Alvarez  receives  bad 
news — The  Territorial  Government  organized — Military 
yields  power  to  Civil  Government — First  Delegate  to 
Congress 453-468 

Chapter  VIII.— Richard  H.  Weightman  directly  elected  by 
the  people — Energetic  defense  of  the  people  of  New 
Mexico  and  Civil  Government— Correct  description  of 
the  lamentable  political  condition  of  New  Mexico  in  those 
years — Alvarez  is  and  is  not  governor  for  three  days — 
Lane  takes  possession  of  a  portion  of  Mexican  Territory 
claimed  by  the  State  of  Chihuahua— Other  matters  of 
importance — Slavery  in  New  Mexico 469-498 

Chapter  IX.— Agriculture  and  industry— Geography,  Topo- 
graphy and  Boundaries— Live  Stock  industry— Wars 
—Civil  War— War  with  the  Apache  and  Navajo  In- 
dians—War with  Spain  — Church— Indians— Mineral 
Branch— Copper,  Gold  and  Silver— Missions  and    Mis- 


24  CONTENTS. 

sionaries — The  Franciscans— Orphan  As3ium   in  Santa 
Fe — Jesuits  of  Albuquerque,   Silver  City,   Gallup,   Las 

Vegas  and  Deming 499.532 

Chapter  X.  — Primitive  Teaching — Private  School  and  First 
Law  about  Teaching — Private  Colleges — Message  of  Gov- 
ernor Vigil — First  School  for  Teaching  English— Bishop 
Lamy— Second  School  for  the  Teaching  of  English- 
School  for  Girls— Sisters  of  Loretto— Sisters  of  Loretto 
Incorporated — Real  Estate  and  Improvements  of  the 
Sisters  and  their  value— Christian  Brothers — The 
Brothers  start  for  New  Mexico— Opening  of  the  College 
— New  Directors — Brothers  Geramius  and  Domiciano — 
New  Director  and  New  Era — The  good  the  College  has 
done — Silver  Jubilee — Golden  Jubilee — Sistersof  Charity 
—Incoming  of  the  Jesuits— Their  Missions  and  pedagog- 
ical labors — Las  Vegas  College — Parochial  School  at 
Santa  Fe — Public  Schools — Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction — County  School  Superintendents- School 
Districts  and  Municipalities— Counties  of  the  State 
—Number  of  pupils,  funds — Sectarian  Private  Schools — 
Pedagogical  Institutions  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico — 
Additional  Funds— School  for  Indians — Summary- 
Penal  Institutions  and  otherwise — Population  of  New 
Mexico  at  different  epochs 533-c6o 

Chapter  XL — History  of  the  Commerce  and  the  Economical 
Conditions  of  New  Mexico,  from  the  early  times  of  its 
history  to  the  year  1812,  as  written  by  Don  Pedro  Bau- 
tista  Pino,  who  was  deputy  of  New  Mexico  to  the  Cortes 
of  Spain  from  1810  to  1^20,  and  included  in  his  "His- 
torical and  Statistical  Notes  Concerning  the  Ancient 
Province  of  New  Mexico,'"  which  he  presented  to  the 
Cortes  of  Spain  at  Cadiz  in  the  year  1812,  and  to  which 
are  added  an  "Addition"  made  to  said  "Historical  Notes" 
by  Don  Antonio  Barreiro  in  1832,  and  Don  Jose  Agustin 
de  Escudero  in  1843,  both  attorneys  in  Mexico,  all  of 
which  is  found  from  pages  71  to  82,  inclusive,  of  said 
"Historical  and  Statistical  Notes"  of  said  Pedro  Bautista 
Pino,  and  the  Statistics  from  the  year  1812,  to  our  days — 
Commerce    under    the  American    Government— Incor- 


CONTKNTS.  L'., 

porated  Corporations  for  Pecuniary   jjurposes  — Haiikiiii; 
Conditions — Historical    Society'     Santa    lA'    Trail --Ktc. 

ni:i4-5V»4 

Chapter  XII.  -  Grants  or  Donations  of  Land  —Government 
Officials  and  Administration  of  Justice — Under  the  Mex- 
ican Government — Under  the  American  (Government - 
Tribunals  of  Justice — Sheriff  and  Constables— Political 
Department — Legislation  and  the  Executive  Governors 
under  Militar}-  Appointment— Under  Organic  Law  — 
Secretaries  of  State — Chief  Justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court — Delegates  in  Congress — Territorial  Legislatures 
and  their  Presiding  Officials — Bar  Association — Celebra- 
tion  of    Marshall's   Anniversary — Statehood   Question, 

Struggle  -and  Admission  into  the  Union 595-644 

Chapter  XTIL — Historical  Chain  composed  of  diverse  events 
--The  Navajoes — Founding  of  Puerto  de  Luna — Trouble- 
some times  with  the  Indians — Lincoln  County  War — A 
Phenomenal  Swindler — Visit  of  a  distinguished  Mexican 
General— The  Rock  of  El  Moro— Tragedy  Aubrey— 
Weigh iman — Aubrey's  death — Tragical   death   of   Beck 

and  Gorman t)45-()5() 

Appendix  I. — Historical  Memorial  of  Fr.    Benavidez  to  the 

King  of  Spain 657-714 

Appendix   II. — History    of  New   Mexico  by   Father  Frejes 

715  72:2 

Appendix  III. — Names  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers  who  died 

as  Martyrs  in  New  Mexico 723-7ini 

Appendix  IV. — Photographs    and    Sketches    published     in 

Alphabetical  order 727 

Illustrations  of  Public  Buildings,  Rare  Documents,  such 
as  letters  from  men  who  figured  prominently  in  the  History 
of  New  Mexico,  Newspaper  and  Photograveurs  of  Prelates 
and  other  Distinguished  Historical  Characters  are  Distri- 
buted through  the  Work. 
Alphabetical  index — Testimonials. 


THE    LATEST  UP-TO-DATE  HISTORY  OF  NEW  MEXICO. 

We  Must    Be  Candid — Facts   Shown  By  This  Work. 


Cabeza  de  Vaca  did  visit  New  Mexico. — Espejo  did  not  give 
the  Territory  its  name,  Brother  Ruiz  did. — Coronado  did  not 
visit  spot  v^here  Santa  Fe  is  located. — After  his  return  to 
Mexico  (1542)  no  Spaniards  except  two  Friars  and  a  Portu- 
guese remained. — One  of  the  Friars  and  the  Portuguese 
went  to  Gran  Quivira  and  the  other  to  Cicu3^e  (Pecos). 
— Santa  Fe  was  not  settled  by  the  Spaniards  prior  to  1605. — 
It  is  the  second  oldest  city  in  the  United  States. — First 
settlement  in  New  Mexico  by  Oiiate  in  1598. — Tiguex  was  the 
name  of  the  Pueblos  near  where  Bernalillo  now  stands. — 
Permanent  conquest  by  De  Vargas  consummated  December 
30,  1693,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  PHOTOS  OF  HISTORICAL  CHARAC- 
TERS, AS  THEY  APPEAR  IN  THE  BOOK. 


Author's  pictu  re 1 

Cano,  Ignacia 'U) 

Church  of  San  Miguel 'M 

The  Palace  of  the  Governors '52 

Hand  tabulated  census  of  Santa  F6  (in  1820)   47 

Capitol  of  New  Mexico 48 

Bishop  Jos^  Antonio  Laureano  Zubiria 89 

Archbishop  Don  Juan  Bautista  Lamy   90 

Archbishop  Juan  B.  Salpointe 1-9 

Aichbishop  P,  Chapelle 131 

Archbishop  Peter  Bourgade 139 

Archbishop  J.  B.  Pitaval 141 

The  Tombs  of  King  Ferdinand  and  Isabella   ...    i  (•" 

Captain  Gaspar  de  Villagra,  picture  of 191 

Fac-simile  of  title  page  of  Villagrd's  "Historia" 144 

Royal  Pantheon  "Escorial,"  Tombs  of  Spanish  Kings   .  .  .'iK) 
Fac-simile  of  title  page  of  Rev.  A.  J.   Martinez's  "Expo 

sicion"' --'0 

Last  election  of  officials  under  the  Mexican  government.  .2^0 

State  ballot  for  election,  1851 282 

A rmijo,  Manuel,  Gov ;]62-3()4 

Bent,  Chas.,  Gov 416 

Col.  Kit  Carson ^1" 

Loretto  Academy,  Santa  Fe 46() 

St.  Michael's  College,   Santa  Fe 468 

Guadalupe  church,   Santa  Fe   ■19'' 

Immaculate  Conception,  Church  of 448 

Machebeuf,  Bishop  ''i^ 

Eguillon,  Peter,  Rev 'j^o 

Mandalari,  A.  M.   S.  J.,   Rev ''-16 

Edwards,  Brother ^'^^ 

Truchard,  Agustin,   Rev ^'"^ 

San  Felipe  de  Neri '»~9 

Fourchegii,  Antonio,   Right  Rev., •''80 

Deaf  and   Dumb  School ''C*^ 

Sch.)ol  for  the  Blind ''<^^ 


'2:^  LIST    OF   SKETCHES. 

Pag-e. 

College  of  Agriculture 619 

Military  Institute 621 

Spanish-American  School 644 

School  of  Mines 646 

Universit}^  of  New  Mexico.* 649 

Parochial  School,  Santa  Fe 6r)2 

Normal  School,  Las  Vegas 654 

High  School,  Santa  Fe 659 

Proclamation  of  J.   B.   V'igil 664 

Defouri,  J.  H.  Rev 676 

Santa  Fe  in  1860     6S5 

Santa  Fe  in  1867   6.s7 

Santa  Fe  in  1876 705 

Santa  Fe  in  1912 707 

Cathedral,  Santa  Fe 709 

Sanitarium,  Santa  Fe • 71b-720 


SKETCHES  OF  INDIVIDUALS. 


-.( 


Aragon,  Jacobo  J 

Abbott,  E.  C 728 

Baca,  Roman  A 729 

Baca,  Roman  L 730 

Baca,  J.  Ma.  and  wife 7;]! 

Baca,  Benito 782 

Baca,  Eleuterio 733 

Baca,  Tomas  C.  de 734 

Baca,  Ezequiel  C   de 735 

Benedict,  Kerb}' 736 

Barela,  Casimiro 737-788 

Bursum,  H.  O 739 

Chacon,   Albino 740 

Chacon,  Rafael 741,  742-743 

Chacon,  Eusebio 744 

Chavez,  Jacobo. 745 

Delgado,   Manuel 7 16 

Delgado,  Felipe  S., 747 

Delgado,  Juan  Pa6  o 74^^ 

Delgado,  Felipe  B 749 


LIST   OF   SKETCHES.  L'9 

l'a>fe. 

Fernandez,  J.  E ToO 

Griffith,  John  E '..  ..    751 

Jaffa,  Nathan 7f)"J 

Lucero,  Antonio 7')'^ 

Leahy,  Jeremiah 754 

Laughlin,    N.    B 75') 

Luna,  Solomon 75() 

Long,  E.  V 757-75H 

Larrazolo,  O.  A 759 

Martinez,  Felix 7()0-7t)l 

Martinez,  Candelario 7()2 

McFie,  J.  R 768 

Martinez,  A.  J.  Rev 7(i4 

Martinez,  Malaquias 765 

Miera,  E.  A 766 

Montoya,   Nestor 767 

McDonald,  W.  C 768 

Otero,  Manuel  R 769 

Ortiz,  Modesto  C "~0 

Ortiz,  y  Alarid,  Gaspar   771 

P6rez,  Demetrio 77il 

Prince,  L.  B ~~'^ 

Prichard,  Geo.  W T74 

Pope,  W.  H ''-' 

Pino,  Nicolas "~*^> 

Romero,  Margarito ~"" 

Renehan,  A.   B ''i^ 

Read,  Alejandro '"9 

Read,  Larkin  G 780 

Read,  J.  B 781 

Spiess,  Chas.  A 782 

Seligman,  Bernard 783 

Seligman,   Arthu  r 784 

Staab,  Abraham *^^ 

St.  Vrain,  Ceran 786 

St.  Vrain,  B   787 

Tompkins,  R.  H 788-789 

Twitchell,  R.  E 790 

Valdez,   Santiago '''^ 

Walter,  P.  A.  f'. '■'- 


Dona  Ignacia  Gano. 


Doiia  Ignacia  Cano,  was  the  daui;htef  o\  Don  Ii;nacio  Cano,  first 
discoverer  and  one  of  the  ^.-rantees  of  the  famous  Ortiz.  Grant,  in 
southern  Santa  Fe  county  and  Dona  Maria  (>)uiros.  She  married  Mr. 
Benjamin  F.  Head  in  184S).  Mr.  Read  came  to  New  Mexico  with  the 
American  Army  in  1846.  Doria  Ignacia  became  a  widow  in  1854  and 
afterwards  married  Mateo  Ortiz.  From  lier  first  marriage  three  sons 
survived  her:  Ale.\ander.  Benjamin  (author  of  this  work)  and 
Larkin  G.  Kead.  From  her  second  marriage  three  sons  and  one 
daugliter  survived  her.     She  died  in  Santa  ^'e,  May  5,  1878. 


This  Palace  was  built  by  the  Spaniards  between  1606  and 
1608,  by  Onate,  who  effected  the  tirst  conquest  and  estab- 
lished the  tirst  settlement  in  New  Mexico,  1598-9.  It  was 
inhabited  by  all  the  Spanish  governors — 1608  to  1821  and  by 
all  the  Mexican  governors  from  1821  to  1846,  when  New 
Mexico  became  part  of  the  United  States,  and  by  every 
American  governor  from  1846  to  1910.  It  is  now  used  by 
the  Historical  Society  and  the  Archaeological  Society. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY 


OF 


NEW  MEXICO 


BOOK  L 


CHAPTER  1. 

Prehistoric  Times — Mithological  Hypotheses  of  Historians  in  Regard  to 
the  Origin  and  Civilization  of  the  Indigenous  Races — The  Aztecs 
and  their  Empire. 

The  mysterious  origin  of  the  Aborigenes  that  peopled  the 
portion  of  the  American  Continent  occupied  by  the  Repubhc 
of  Mexico  and  the  other  RepubHcs  of  Central  and  South 
America,  the  Territory  which  till  the  year  1848  had  formed  a 
part  of  the  Mexican  Republic,  namely:  What  is  known 
as  the  States  of  Texas,  California,  Utah,  Arizona  and  New 
Mexico,  and  part  of  the  State  of  Colorado  is  today,  as 
enigmatical  as  it  was  at  the  time  when  the  Europeans  first 
set  foot  on  the  virgin  shores  of  the  Western  Continent.  The 
immense  importance  hidden  in  this  secret  regarding  the 
Aztec  Empire  pre-eminently  surpasses,  in  historical  interest, 
all  the  legends  and  traditions  recorded  in  the  history  of  the 
other  civilized  countries  of  the  world  in  reference  to  the 
origin,  beginning,  and  civilization  of  the  nomadic  and  station- 
ery tribes  of  their  aborigenes,  respectively.  Nor  can  the 
nations  of  South  America  conquered  by  the  Pizarros  and 
Almagro,  nor  the  nations  and  tribes  of  North  American 
Indians  compare  with  the  Mexican  Indians.  Their  almost 
fabulous  wealth,  both  in  gold  and  the  other  known  metals,  as 
well  as  in  precious  stones:  their  picturesque  topography:  the 


34  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO. 

mildness  of  their  admirable  climate,  as  described  by  famous 
writers  and  poets;  their  astonishing  progress  in  the  arts  of 
painting  and  architecture,  and  in  the  sciences  of  government, 
astronomy,  and  agriculture,  as  displayed  before  their  con- 
querors, thereby  evidencing  a  state  of  civilization  so  advanced 
as  to  cause  Cortes  himself,  rapt  in  the  wondering  contempla- 
tion of  it,  to  exclaim  that  not  even  in  his  beloved  Spain  could 
such  beauty  be  found;  all  these  things,  together  with  the 
circumstance,  still  more  marvelous,  of  havmg  been  found 
there  very  evident  traces  of  some  knowledge  of  Christianity, 
such  as  the  sign  of  the  cross,  the  sacrifice  of  holocausts  to 
the  Deity,  the  communion  with  bread — symbolic  of  our 
Christian  Communion — all  these  things  I  repeat, have  inspired 
and  encouraged  archaeologists,  geologists,  ethnologists,  and 
historiographers  to  dedicate  a  great  portion  of  their  lives  to 
the  task  of  unfathoming  that  bottomless  ab3^ss  which 
envelops  the  origin  and  source  of  that  race,  and  the  means 
employed  by  that  mystical  people  in  an  industrial  and  econo- 
mical development  so  intellectually  astounding. 

Whence  came  they?  Are  they,  perhaps  the  descendants  of 
the  primitive  Egyptian  race?  Are  they,  perchance,  the  off- 
spring of  tiie  ten  tribes  of  Israelites  who  came  to  people  the 
Atlantis  of  Plato?  To  the  solution  of  these  questions  a  large 
number  of  learned  men  having  given  their  studies  and  dedi- 
cated their  lives  without  getting  better  results  than  mere 
conjectures,  mere  suppositions  and  nothing  more.  In  our 
days  we  are  as  far  from  knowing,  with  moral  certainty,  the 
true  answer  to  such  questions,  as  were  Cortes,  Bernal  Diaz, 
and  the  others  who  were  the  first  ones  to  contemplate,  with 
them,  in  their  original  beauty  and  singular  primitive  grand- 
eur the  habits,  customs,  government  system,  grand  archi- 
tecture and  other  great  things  which  constituted  the  glory 
of  the  great  empire  of  the  Montezumas. 

The  Author,  being  unwilling  to  deviate  from  the  method 
which  he  has  adopted,  as  a  standard  in  his  historical  works, 
that  is,  of  reproducing,  as  far  as  possible,  the  spirit  and 
meaning  of  the  original  authors,  will  now  procede  to  narrate, 
in  the  first  place,  the  interpretations  of  some  Anglo-Saxon 
and  Anglo-American  authors,  and  also  of  Mexican  authors, 
touching  the  mystery  we  have  been  mentioning,  leaving  for 


ILLUSTRATED    IIISTOUV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  35 

the  subsequent  chapter  all  that  relates  to  the  Indians  of  New 
Mexico.  In  this  manner  will  the  reader  be  able  to  form  his 
own  idea  of  the  enigmatical  problem. 

It  is  most  certain  that  all  writers  of  history,  European  as 
w^ell  as  Anglo-American,  who  have  written  about  the  Con- 
quest of  Mexico,  have  taken  a  large  partof  their  information, 
either  from  the  letters  of  Cortes  to  the  King  of  Spain,  or 
from  the  works  of  Father  Gomara  (who  was  a  prelate  in  Spain, 
after  the  conquest  of  Cortes,  but  was  never  in  Mexico,)  or 
from  the  works  of  Bishop  Bartolome  de  Las  Casas.  or  from 
the  accounts  made  by  Bernal  Diaz  del  Castillo,  and  Francisco 
Jaramillo.  Mexican  Historians,  besides  having  the  works 
of  the  authors  quoted  above,  have  also  the  works  and  tradi- 
tions of  the  old  Aztec  w^riters. 

Those  writers  who  have  based  their  works  on  the  works  of 
Gomara  have  repeated  and  reproduced  the  thousands  of 
errors  consigned  in  his  works,  for  the  reader  should  know 
that  Gomara  at  the  time  of  the  conquest  of  Mexico  was  only 
nineteen  years  of  age  (was  born  in  1510)  and  that,  after 
Cortes  had  returned  to  Spain  to  remain  there  until  his  death, 
was  the  time  when  Gomara  entered  the  service  of  Cortes. 
He  wrote  his  work  on  the  conquest  of  Mexico  in  the  year 
1540,  or  19  years  after  the  conquest  and  pacitication  of 
Mexico.  The  numberless  errors  and  ridiculous  exaggera- 
tions of  his  work  caused  the  King  to  condemn  it  and  to  pro- 
hibit its  circulation. 

Bernal  Diaz  del  Castillo  was  at  that  time  Mayor  of  the  City 
of  Guatemala,  and  to  him  more  than  any  one  else  is  due  the 
exposure  of  Gomara's  fraud  and  thecondemnationof  hiswork. 
Similarly,  to  that  circumstance  is  the  world  indebted  for  the 
great  service  Bernal  Diaz  rendered  in  its  behalf  in  writing 
his  "Historia  Verdadera  de  la  Conquista  de  la  Nueva  Espafia,"' 
with  that  exactness  wherewith  he  alone  as  an  eye  witness 
and  as  one  of  the  conquerors  could  have  written  it,  and  with 
which  he  refuted  Gomara  and  gave  to  the  world  the  true 
history  of  that  memorable  episode.  With  these  explanations 
let  us  now  enter  that  labyrinth  of  suppose  in  what  relates  to 
prehistoric  times  etc.,  of  the  interesting  aboriginal  races 
which  the  Spanish  Europeans  found  in  Mexico  taking  up,  in 
the  first  place,  the  theories  (translations)  of  Anglo-Saxon  and 


36  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Anglo-American  authors,  Prescott,  speaking  of  the  origin 
and  civilization  of  the  Mexican  Indians,  says:  "When  the 
Europeans  landed  for  the  first  time  on  the  coasts  of 
America  they  almost  came  to  believe  that  what  they  saw 
was  another  planet,  as  whatever  they  saw  had  not  anything 
similar  either  in  Europe  or  in  any  of  the  countries  known  to 
them."  The  unknown  and  exceedingly  varied  classes  of 
plants  and  birds  added  to  the  very  rare  aspect,  appearance, 
customs,  and  dress  of  the  inhabitants,  the  exuberance  and 
feracity  of  their  fields  made  such  an  impression  on  the 
Europeans  that  they  unhesitatingly  and  unanimously  named 
the  land  "The  New  World."' — "Accustomed,  as  the  Europeans 
were,"  says  Prescott,  (Vol.  3  p.  355)  "to  what  they  knew  as 
matters  of  faith,  that  all  things  came  from  one  only  Author, 
their  surprise  naturally  increased  with  the  mystery  and 
origin  of  those  human  beings.'" 

All  the  new  attractions  in  what  concerns  vegetation  and 
animals  accommodate  themselves  to,  and  are  susceptible  of, 
interpretations  that  do  not  conflict  with  the  laws  of  nature; 
but  to  meet  with  large  groups  of  creatures  similar,  in  all  re- 
spects, to  themselves;  to  find  them  in  such  an  advanced  stage 
of  civilization,  and  with  notions,  more  or  less  extensive,  of 
the  principles  of  morality  and  religion,  and  versed  almost  to 
the  highest  degree  of  perfection  in  the  fine  arts;  such  a  fhing 
was,  for  the  Europeans,  an  impenetrable  mystery,  and,  such 
as  it  was  for  thera,  it  has  ever  been,  and  will  continue  to  be 
for  all  generations.  The  question  then:  "W'hence  came 
these  inhabitants  to  Americay"  remains  unanswered.  One  of 
the  celebrated  geologists  of  the  world,  Lyell,  asserts  that 
canoes  with  savage  Indians  have  been  met  with  on  the  High 
Seas,  and  that  it  is  probable  that  from  the  early  periods  of 
the  world,  many  tribes  came  in  canoes  to  America  from  Asia 
and  Europe  "If,"  says  Lyell,  "humanity  as  a  whole,  with  the 
exception  of  but  one  family,  should  disappear  from  the  face 
of  the  earth,  and  that  only  one  family  remained  in  either  of  the 
continents,  or  in  Australia  or  any  other  island  in  the  Pacific, 
we  could  well  hope  that  its  descendants,  even  if  not  as  civil- 
ized as  the  inhabitants  of  the  South  Sea  Islands,  would  very 
soon  scatter,  in  the  lapse  of  years,  over  the  whole  earth."'  All 
over  the  continent  of  the   new  world,   its  original  inhabi- 


ir.I.USTKATKD    EIlSlH^liV    OF    MOW    MEXICO.  :i7 

tants  were  found  divided  in  two  classes,  the  semi-civilized 
and  the  savage  class.  This  last  one  had  no  knowledge  of 
society  or  domestic  life.  Its  absolute  occupation  was  hunt- 
ing, and  its  life,  a  wandering  or  nomadic  one.  The  half- 
civilized  tribes  or  nations  were  in  a  very  advanced  state  of 
civilization,  with  well  established  systems  of  government. 
That  condition  of  things  is  what  neither  the  archaeologists, 
nor  geologists,  nor  learned  historians  have  been  able  to 
explain.  Apparently,  the  only  solution  to  those  amphibio- 
logical  questions,  and  the  theory  to  which  all  learned  men 
incline  most  is  that  the  separation  of  human  beings  and 
their  world-wide  dispersion  is  due  to  the  universal  deluge. 
To  that  belief  most  of  the  civilized  nations  of  the  world  have 
ever  adhered,  and  equally  so  the  same  thing,  according  to 
ethnologists,  has  been  affirmed  by  the  semi-civilized  nations 
of  the  new  world.  The  Aztecs  established  this  fact  with 
their  traditions  stating  that  there  had  been,  in  the  early 
days  of  the  world,  a  deluge,  and  that,  out  of  all  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  earth,  at  the  time  of  the  deluge,  only  two  per- 
sons had  escaped,  male  and  female,  the  male  being  known 
among  them  by  the  name  of  Coxcox.  The  Aztecs  had  the 
faces  of  these  two  human  beings  drawn  upon  old  canvasses 
on  which  was  represented  an  immense  sea  which  covered 
the  whole  of  the  earth  except  an  unsubmerged  mountain  at 
the  foot  of  which  was  a  bark.  Near  the  bark  a  dove  ap- 
peared carrying  placards  in  its  bill  upon  which  were  found, 
written  in  hieroglyphics,  emblems  of  all  the  languages  of 
the  world,  and  which  the  dove  distributed  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Coxcox.  The  Spaniards  found  a  great  deal  of  like- 
ness between  the  religion  of  the  Aztecs  and  the  Christian 
religion.  Besides  what  has  already  been  said  in  this  chap- 
ter, the  Spaniards  saw  how  the  Aztecs  received  communion 
of  bread  made  from  corn  and  blood,  which,  after  it  had  been 
consecrated  by  their  priests,  was  distributed  among  the 
faithful  who  received  it  with  much  reverence  and  with  the 
sincere  belief  that  it  was  the  identical  body  of  their  God. 
"They  received  it,"' Veytia  and  Acosta  tell  us,  "with  great 
reverence,  humility  and  tears,  saying  they  ate  the  flesh  of 
their  God.""  All  historians  declare  that  the  religious  prac- 
tices of  the  Aztecs  and  their  conjectures   with   regard   to 


38  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP    NEW    iMEXICO. 

their  ancestral  origin  are,  in  many  things,  analogous  to  the 
biblical  accounts  of  the  Hebrew  people.  Compare,  for  in- 
stance, their  departure  from  Aztlan,  in  pilgrimage,  as  far  as 
Anahuac,  (Mexico),  with  the  departure  of  the  Jews  from 
Egypt,  for  the  promised  land.  Along  the  way  from  Aztlan 
as  far  as  Anahuac  they  had  to  make  many  and  long  journeys, 
setting  up  their  camps  very  often  and  for  along  time  in 
several  places,  just  as  the  Jews  did  in  their  journeys  in  the 
desert.  In  examining  their  hieroglyphical  characters,  the 
learned  have  found  a  great  deal  of  similarity  between  their 
maxims  and  the  sentences  of  the  sacred  texts.  Those  co- 
incidences and  analogies  between  the  customs  of  the  Aztecs 
and  the  biblical  history  of  the  Jews  are  attributed  by  many 
of  the  historians  to  diabolical  mischief. 

The  comments  we  have  been  making  and  the  extracts  from 
authors  of  other  nationalities  are  sufficient  matter  for  the 
reader  to  form  for  himself  anideaof  the  most  logical  tendencies 
towards  the  establishment  of  the  origin  and  source  of  the 
Aztecs.  Weshallnow  consign  the  opinionsof  Mexican  authors 
that  he  may  thus  be  able  to  reach  a  more  reasonable  conclu- 
sion, in  so  far  as  his  intellectual  capacities  may  enable  him  to 
attain  it.  Before  referring,  however,  to  the  Mexican  authors, 
the  Author  desires  to  quote  the  opinion  of  Bernal  Diaz,  who, 
as  a  companion  of  Cordova  and  Grijalva  in  their  voyages  to  Yu- 
catan, and  as  a  joint  conqueror  with  Cortes  subsequently,  was 
able  to  observe  better  the  situation  and  condition  of  the 
Aztecs.  Bernal  Diaz  tells  us  that  the  idols  presented  by  the 
Indians  to  Hernandez  Cordova  (first  discoverer  in  15l7  ot  the 
Peninsula  of  Yucatan)  made  him  believe  that  they  were  old 
relics  brought  to  this  continent  by  the  Hebrews.  Regarding 
what  Bernal  Diaz  observed,  and  what  he  heard  from  the  lips 
of  Emperor  Montezuma,  he  tells  us  that,  in  the  first  interview 
between  Cortes  and  M(mtezuma,  Cortes  wished  to  impress 
him  with  the  divinity  of  the  God  of  the  Christians  and  the 
truth  of  tiie  Catholic  religion,  and  that  Montezuma  answered 
him  in  the  following  words: 

"Malinche,  (name  by  which  the  Indians  called  Cortes) 
already  have  my  ambassadors  told  me  that  they  heard  from 
your  mouth  what  you  are  telling  me.  We  had  not  answered 
to  all  that  because  we  have  always   adored  the  same  gods 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOKY    OP^    NKW    MEXICO.  Hi) 

that  we  worship  now,  and  they  have  been  to  us  very  kind. 
Yours  may  be  so  also.  As  to  what  you  say  of  the  creation 
of  the  world  our  beliefs  are  the  same  as  yours.  We  also  be 
lieve  that  you  and  your  people  are  the  ones  who  were  to 
come  from  the  Levante  to  our  lands." 

Let  us  now  hear  the  writers  from  Mexico,  many  of  them, 
undoubtedly,  descendants  of  that  heroic  race  which  consti- 
tuted the  Mexican  Empire.  In  his  "liiographies,"  Bruno  F. 
Fabian  gives  us  the  history  according  to  Mexican  traditions, 
in  these  words: 

"Our  country  was,  in  very  remote  epochs,  inhabited  by 
divers  tribes.  Tradition,  ever  respectable,  tells  us  that  a 
race  of  giants  was  the  tirst  one  to  tread  our  territory.  We 
admit  those  traditions  by  observing  the  enormous  craneums, 
bones,  and  skeletons  that  were  unearthed  in  Tlaxcala,  Tex- 
coco,  Tula,  and  California  in  different  epochs,  as  well  as  a 
multitude  of  fossil  remains  of  elephants  and  other  animals 
of  large  corpulence.  But  be  this  as  it  may;  what  is  to-day 
the  Mexican  Republic  was  primitively  invaded  by  different 
tribes — among  them  the  Mayas  on  the  East  invaded  the  pen- 
insula of  Yucatan,  and  on  the  North  the  Toltecs  led  by  a 
priest  named  Hueman. 

"This  priest  was  the  conductor  of  the  Toltec  tribe.  He  lived 
in  the  City  of  Huehnetlapallan,  or  Tlopallan,  situated  to  the 
North  of  the  Gila  River,  in  Lower  California,  which  belonged 
to  the  kingdom  of  Tollan.  When  that  people  had  considerably 
increased  tl*aere  were  disagreements  with  the  chief  of  the 
Toltec  kingdom. 

"Hueman,  who  loved  liberty,  advised  his  people  to  emigrate 
toother  lands  that  might  furnish  them  with  the  precious 
means  of  subsistence.  As  Hueman  or  Huermatzin  (the  man 
of  the  big  hands,  or  the  powerful),  was  a  noble  hearted  man 
of  character,  who  had  always  distinguished  himself  for  his 
wisdom,  the  people  obeyed  him  and  undertook  their  march  to 
better  lands  (544th  year  of  the  vulgar  era). 

"They  called  him  Hueman,  the  man  of  the  big  hands, 
because  he  was  a  benevolent  man,  and  also  because,  in  a 
neighboring  pueblo  of  Mexico,  he  left,  in  certain  black  rocks, 
the  picture  and  perfect  stamp  of  his  hands,  as  of  white 
gypsum,  which   no  one  was   able  to  erase.     The  legend  also 


40  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

relates  that  on  his  way  to  Cholula,  Hueman  left  the  stamp  of 
his  hand  in  a  rock,  in  crossing  over  a  bridge  and  that,  in 
remembrance  of  this,  a  pueblo  was  founded  there  called 
Tlamaco,  which  means  rock  of  the  hand. 

"During  the  pilgrimage  of  the  Toltecs,  Hueman  led  them 
with  wise  councils,  encouraged  them  with  his  example,  and 
taught  them  many  useful  things.  They  cultivated  the  fields 
all  along  the  places  which  they  passed,  obtained  in  return 
abundant  harvests,  and  founded  cities  and  pueblos,  the  traces 
yet  existing  of  those  primitive  times,  as  "Casas  Grandes,'"  in 
Chihuahua,  preserved  to  this  date  as  historical  monuments. 

"As  Hueman  was  also  a  priest  it  was  believed  that  he 
interpreted  Divine  will,  so  it  was  that  they  continued  their 
march  whenever  he  commanded.  After  many  years  of 
pilgrimage  they  reached  Jalisco,  a  land  of  fertility  and  mild 
climate;  they  remained  there  for  eight  years,  then  followed 
their  way  to  the  South  till  they  came  to  Guerrero,  and  finally 
they  headed  eastward  as  far  as  Tollantzingo,  in  the  year  667 
where  they  thought  of  settling  definitely.  They  built  the  City 
of  Tula  as  a  reminder  of  the  name  of  their  country.  Tula  is 
today  one  of  the  oldest  cities  in  the  new  world. 

"Hueman  was  an  astrologer  who  foretold  the  end  of  things, 
a  benevolent  man,  large-hearted,  who  consecrated  the  whole 
of  his  life  to  the  good  of  his  people;  he  established  the  Toltec 
monarchy  and  gave  it  wise  laws. 

"The  Toltecs  had  nine  kings.  The  second  king  made  the 
*Teamoxtli',  or  Divine  Book,  which  was  a  precious  collection 
of  paintings  commemorative  of  the  great  historical  events, 
such  as  the  deluge,  the  c(mf  usion  of  tongues,  the  pilgrimage 
of  those  tribes,  their  laws,  their  maxims,  ceremonies,  and 
other  interesting  things.  When  Hueman  died  he  foretold 
the  destruction  of  his  empire. 

"The  Toltecs  were  tall, robust, and  well  formed,  valiant  and 
fond  of  liberty.  They  lived  in  well  built  stone-houses  sur- 
rounded by  gardens.  They  were  quite  civilized,  and  had 
their  artists,  architects,  physicians,  and  astronomers 

"Their  dresses  were  made  of  cotton,  and  their  sandals,  of 
ixtle  ornamented  with  emeralds,  and  feathers  of  various 
colors.  Their  weapons  were  arrows,  clubs,  slings  and  iron- 
edged  sticks. 

"They  worshipped  the  Sun,  the  Moon,  and  the  Stars." 


ILLUSTRATKH    HlSTOliY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  41 

LEGEND  OF  QUETZALCOATL  OR  GRACEFUL  SERPENT. 

"After  the  establishment  of  the  Toltec  empire,  more  than 
900  years  ago,  there  foHowed  several  remarkable  events, 
among  them,  the  appearance  of  a  fantastic  personage 
preaching  the  doctrine  of  Christ  all  over  the  Continent. 
According  to  the  Toltecs  he  represented  the  evening  star, 
and  as  some  historians  affirm,  he  was  a  Christian  bishop. 

"Hewas  a  tall, white, full-bearded  man, with  curly  hairs, and 
had  a  magestic  mien.  He  woi"e  a  long  tunic  reaching  to  the 
heels,  adorned  with  many  black  and  red  crosses. 

"After  wondering  for  many  years  he  arrived  at  the  City 
of  Tula  in  922,  preaching  the  Christian  religion.  In  all  the 
puebloshe  visited  he  erected  temples  for  prayer  and  penance, 
ornamenting  them  with  showy  feathers,  precious  stones, 
gold  and  silver.  He  administered  baptism,  confession,  and 
offered  sacrifices  of  birds  and  small  animals  to  the  gods.  He 
never  consented  to  the  offering  of  human  sacrifices,  such  as 
the  Toltecs  were  w^ont  to  do. 

"This  fantastic  personage  of  whom  the  Toltecs  made  a  god 
was  generally  known  by  the  name  of  Quetzalcoatl,  which 
means,  in  Nahualt  language,  the  graceful  serpent. 

"During  his  stay  with  the  Toltecs,  he  was  very  good  and 
benevolent  to  them.  When  he  came  to  the  pueblos,  the 
Toltecs  received  him  with  open  arms;  he  taught  them  many 
useful  things,  showed  them  how  to  cultivate  the  fields  and 
weave  the  cloth  with  more  ease,  and  polish  gold  and  silver; 
lastly  he  increased  the  knowledge  of  the  Toltec  people  and 
improved  the  arts  and  industries,  displaying,  in  this  manner, 
his  love  for  the  people  to  such  a  degree  as  to  be  acclaimed  by 
them  as  their  King  and  Supreme  Priest. 

"In  this  exalted  post  he  labored  restlessly  for  the  sup- 
pression of  human  sacrifices.  These  savage  ceremonies 
consisted  in  cutting  open  the  breasts  of  prisoners,  pulling 
out  their  almost  palpitating  heart  and  offering  them  to  their 
gods. 

"As  Quetzalcoatl  had  ideas  very  opposite  to  the  religion  of 
the  Toltecs,  he  naturally  made  for  himself  many  enemies; 
and,  having  revolted  against  him,  those  who  favored  human 
sacrifices,  cast  him  out  of  Tula  and  made  him  tiee  to  Yucatan. 


■42  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

"Oa  his  departure  he  announced  the  destruction  of  the 
empire.  He  said  that  white,  bearded  men,  like  himself  would 
come  from  the  East  and  that  they  would  be  the  lords  of  these 
kingdoms." 

This  legend  of  Quetzalcoatl  and  his  prophesies,  whether 
true  or  not  were  preserved  by  the  Toltec  pueblos,  and  handed 
down  from  generation  to  generation,  and  from  pueblo  to 
pueblo;  and  such  prophesies  had  a  strong  influence  on  the 
minds  of  the  Aztecs  at  the  time  when  the  Spaniards  came  to 
conquer  Mexico. 

Concerning  the  reign  of  queen  Xochitl  we  take  the  account, 
written  about  it,  by  the  Mexican  author,  Gregorio  Torres 
Quintero,  which  is  as  follows:* 

QUEEN  XOCHITL. 

In  the  r^eventh  century  of  our  era  there  came  (it  is  not 
known  whether  from  the  North  or  the  South)  certain  peoples 
of  an  advanced  knowledge  and  customs.  They  settled  in 
Tolan  or  Tulan,  today  Tula,  in  the  State  of  Hidalgo,  and 
founded  a  monarchy  which  lasted  four  centuries  and  a  half. 

History  Galls  Them  Toltecs. 

About  the  year  1001,  a  lord  lived  in  Tolan  called  Papatzin, 
a  relative  to  the  monarch.  Legendary  lore  (not  history)  attri- 
butes to  him  the  discovery  of  the  pulque,  an  extraction  from 
the  Mague\'.  Astonished  at,  and  satisfied  with,  his  discov- 
ery, he  wished  the  king  to  taste  the  beverage,  and  he  resolved 
to  send  him  a  chocolate-cupful. 

Papatzin  had  a  daughter,  a  damsel  remarkable  for  her 
beauty,  so  exquisite  that  she  was  called  Xochitl,  that  is, 
flower.  She  was  the  chosen  one  to  carry  the  present  to  the 
king. 

When  she  arrived  at  the  palace  she  was  conducted  to  the 
audience  hall. 

Tepancaltzin,  such  was  the  king's  name,  was  on  his  throne, 
received  the  present  with  a  pleasant  smile,  tasted  the  liquid 
and  praised  it;  but  his  eyes  could  not  be  withdrawn  from  the 
beautiful  face  of  the  little  girl,  who  humbly  abashed  would 
not  raise  her  eyes  fixed  on  the  floor.  A  violent  and  fatuous  love 

*Fabians:     "Bio'gs  de  los  Heroes  de  la  Independencia.'' 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  43 

was  kindled  in  the  monarch's  breast  who  conceived  the  plan 
of  stealing  the  damsel;  so  he  sent  a  reward  to  the  discoverer 
commanding  him  to  send  him  more  pulque. 

A  few  days  after,  when  Xochitl  brought  him  another  supply, 
she  was  detained  at  the  palace. — Go  and  tell  Papatzin,  said 
tne  king,  that,  interested  in  his  daughter's  fate,  I  have  re- 
solved to  keep  her  at  the  palace  where  she  shall  be  educated 
by  wise  matrons.  With  the  message  he  also  sent  great  riches. 

"Sometime  after  Xochitl  became  the  mother  of  a  child  who 
was  named  Meconetzin,  that  is  to  say,  Son  of  the  Maguey, 
which  later  on  he  changed  for  that  of  Topiltzin.  Papatzin 
was  always  imagining  that  his  daughter  was  receiving  a 
zealous  education  at  the  palace,  but  not  having  seen  her  for 
three  years,  rumors  reached  his  ears*of  what  was  really 
going  on.  Disguising  himself  as  a  peasant  he  went  to  the 
palace  in  which  Xochitl  dwelt,  penetrated  into  the  gardens, 
and  there,  after  a  little,  discovered  her  with  a  babe  in  her 
arms.  "Does  the  king,  then,"  he  asked  her,  "keep  you  as 
his  wet-nurse?"" 

Blushingly  she  confessed  to  him  that  the  child  was  hers. 
In  a  rage  the  offended  father  went  to  the  king  to  demand  ex- 
planation of  her  dishonor.  Tepancaltzin  succeeded  in  appeas- 
ing him  making  him  man}^  promises,  among  others,  that  of 
marrying  Xochitl  after  he  became  a  widower,  and  of  placing 
her  son  on  the  throne.  Everything  was  faithfully  fulfilled, 
Xochitl  became  queen  and  her  son  king. 

But  the  elevation  to  the  throne  of  that  prince,  born  outside 
the  pale  of  matrimony,  brought  unpleasantness  among  the 
relatives,  who  believed  themselves  entitled,  with  better  right 
to  the  heirship  of  the  power. 

At  that  time  the  kingdom  was  troubled  by  religious  revo- 
lution on  account  of  the  presence  in  Tolan  of  a  mysterious, 
white  bearded  man  named  Quetzalcoatl.  Topiltzin  in  the 
end  was  a  bad  monarch.  On  account  of  his  example  good 
custom  became  relaxed  and  the  ancient  virtue  disappeared. 

Civil  war  soon  showed  its  terrible  mien.  Some  caciques 
from  Jalisco  who  believed  themselves  with  right  to  the  throne, 
appeared  with  large  armies  and  a  very  sanguinary  struggle 
ensued. 


44  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Tepancaltzin  and  Xochitl  were  still  living,  and  in  spite  of 
their  advanced  years,  they  came  out  to  the  defense  of  their 
son,  but  both  died  battle  fighting  in  the  first  ranks. 

TOPILTZIN  FLED- 

The  conquerors,  killed  the  inhabitants,  famine  and 
epidemics  came,  and  so  many  calamities  and  disasters  put 
an  end  to  the  Toltec  Empire  which  never  again  rose  from  its 
ruins. 

We  shall  now  close  this  chapter  with  an  account  of  the 
foundation  of  Tenochtitlan,  or  the  real  Mexican  Empire  by 
the  Aztecs,  reproducing  the  words  of  the  erudite  Mexican 
writer,  Emilio  Rodriguez.  With  this  interesting  legend  the 
reader  shall  have  been  treated  to  the  choicest  selection  of 
all  the  celebrated  authors  who  wrote  concerning  those 
countries,  and  who  have  given  to  the  world  the  only  thing 
they  have  been  able  to  find  out,  after  long  years  of  painful 
study,  regarding  the  origin  of  the  founders  of  the  great 
empire  which  so  astounded  its  conquerors.  Let  Rodriguez 
speak: 

"Many  years  ago  several  tribes  left  Aztlan,  a  pueblo 
situated  to  the  North  of  the  Gulf  of  California.  Among  them 
came  the  Aztec,  or  Mexican  race,  led  by  a  learned  priest 
whose  name  was  Tenoch,  and  whom  the  Aztecs  loved  tenderly 
because  he  taught  them  many  useful  things.  He  was  a 
benevolent,  large-hearted,  energetic,  and  courageous  man. 
All  rendered  him  a  cuasi-religious  worship.  He  was  a 
genuine  patriarch. 

"They  brought  along  with  them  a  stone  idol,  Huitzilopotchli, 
god  of  war,  and,  in  their  long  pilgrimage,  they  always  obeyed 
the  commands  of  the  god,  as  made  known  to  them  by  Tenoch, 
chief  and  priest  of  the  tribe.  They  undertook  a  pilgrimage 
which  lasted  nearly  200  years;  and,  although  they  stopped  in 
some  places,  where  they  planted  corn  and  erected  buildings, 
they  abandoned  them  in  search  of  others,  which  they  also 
left,  until  they  reached  the  valley  of  Mexico,  where  other 
tribes  had  already  settled, — such  as  the  Chichimecas,  in 
Texcoco,  the  Tecpanecas,  in  Atzacapozalco,  the  Colhuas,  in 
Ameca,  and  the  Chalcas  and  Xochimilcas.  in  their  respective 
pueblos. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOIIY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  45- 

"The  Aztecs  arrived  at  the  hill  of  Chapultepec  and  were 
enchanted  at  the  sight  of  the  exuberant  forests  of  "Ahue- 
huetes"  which  surround  it,  of  the  mild  climate  and  abund- 
ance of  chase,  all  of  which  jointly  invited  them  to  settle  in 
that  delightful  spot. 

"They  had  hardly  commenced  the  building  of  the  temple 
for  their  god,  when  the  Colhuas,  with  other  allied  tribes, 
surprised  them  and  made  them  prisoners.  Their  Aztec 
chief,  Tenoch,  (which  means  cactus  on  rock),  realizing  the 
numerical  superiority  of  the  conquerors  advised  his  people 
to  submit,  to  bear  in  silence  the  ignominy  of  slavery  in  or- 
der to  acquire  sufficient  strength  so  as  to  accept  the  strug- 
gle when   the  time  of  emancipation  should  come. 

"The  Aztecs,  through  their  great  respect  for  their  priest, 
at  once  submitted  obediently  to  the  Colhuas,  who  gave  them 
for  their  habitation  a  place  thenceforth  called  Tizapan. 

"There  they  dwelt  for  several  years  until  the  Xochimilcas, 
on  one  occasion,  declared  war  against  the  Colhuas. 

"The  latter  asked  help  from  the  Mexicans,  and  then  it  was 
that  Tenoch  thought  of  helping,  while  at  the  same  time  he 
determined  to  terrorize  them  into  giving  his  people  their 
liberty. 

"The  Aztecs  presented  themselves  at  the  battle  field,  each 
carrying  a  basket  and  a  knife,  as  their  only  weapons,  wisely 
advised  by  their  chief  Tenoch  not  to  kill  the  prisoners  they 
might  make,  but  to  cut  off  their  right  ears  and  gather  them 
in  their  baskets. 

"After  the  defeat  of  the  Xochimilcas,  the  Aztecs  appeared 
before  the  king  of  the  Colhuas  showing  him  and  offering  him 
his  prisoners,  that  is,  the  baskets  containing  the  ears.  The 
king  of  the  Colhuas  was  astonished,  as  well  as  were  his 
people,  at  the  sight  of  so  many  ears.  In  addition  the  Aztecs 
carried  to  Tizapan  four  prisoners  in  order  to  sacrifice  them  in 
a  feast  to  their  god  Huitzilopotchli.  They  also  asked  on  that 
day  an  offering,  from  the  Colhuan  king,  worthy  of  their  god 
so  as  to  make  the  ceremony  more  solemn.  The  later  sent 
them  a  dead  bird  wrapped  in  a  dirty  rag;  the  Aztecs  suffered 
in  silence  that  unheard  of  outrage.  They  threw  away  the 
offering  of  the  king,  and  placed  on  the  altar  in  its  stead,  some 
fresh  herbs  and  a  knife  made  of  ixtle,  as   symbols  of  the- 


46  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

terrible  vengeance  they  would  take  in  the  venturesome  days 
they  were  expecting  to  come. 

King  Colhua,  who  had  been  invited,  attended  the  feast,  and, 
in  his  presence,  they  sacrificed  the  captive  prisoners  by 
cutting  open  their  breasts  and  drawing  out  their  palpitating 
hearts  in  order  to  offer  them  in  the  shrine  of  their  god.  This 
display  of  cruelty  terrorized  even  more  the  king  of  the  Colhuas 
who  decided  to  grant  the  Aztecs  their  liberty.  They  continued 
their  pilgrimage,  but  not  forgetting  the  offense  done  their  god 
by  the  Colhuas  they  swore  vengeance  on  them. 

'"They  demanded  from  King  Colhua  a  daughter  in  order  to 
install  her  as  the  priestess  of  their  temple  and  mistress  of 
their  gods.  The  king  acceded  to  this  solicitude,  yielded 
his  daughter,  who  was  taken  amid  great  solemnities  to  be 
deified.  They  invited  King  Colhua  for  the  day  of  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  feast,  who,  with  the  nobles  of  his  kingdom, 
appeared  on  the  appointed  day,  carrying  along  valuable 
offerings;  but  on  going  to  offer  them  to  Huitzilopotchli, 
he  saw  at  the  foot  of  the  idol,  by  the  sinister  light  of  the 
torches,  a  priest  covered  with  his  daughter's  skin;  the 
Mexicans  had  flayed  her  in  order  to  comply  with  their  oaths 
of  revenge.  The  king,  in  a  fit  of  rage,  persecuted  them,  and 
the  Aztecs  took  refuge  among  the  reeds  that  grew  in  the  small 
islands  of  the  lake.  Amid  their  despair,  crushed  down  by 
hunger  and  always  pursued  by  the  Colhuas,  they  were  on  the 
point  of  surrendering,  when  one  night  the  god  spoke  to  the 
priest  saying:  'In  the  middle  of  the  lake  a  cactus  has  grown 
and  is  so  large  aiid  leafy  that  an  eagle  has  his  nest  in  it;  go 
and  look  for  him  at  sunrise  and  you  will  find  him  eating  the 
most  beautiful  and  graceful  birds.  There  shall  you  build  the 
city.'" 

"The  Aztecs  began  their  march  the  next  day,  and  they  saw 
that  from  the  middle  of  the  lake  a  fountain  of  limpid  water 
shot  forth  and,  upon  a  cactus  that  grew  on  a  rock,  beheld  the 
eagle;  there  the  priest  decided  to  build  the  city  which  he 
called  Tenochtitldn  (City  of  Tenoch.) 

"By  building  stockades,  occupying  the  small  islands,  and 
suing  up  with  earth  the  spaces  between,  they  succeeded  in 
making  the  ground  firm.  They  first  erected  the  temple  to 
Huitzilopotchli,  the  teocalli  of  their  god,  and  then  constructed 


ILLUSTRATKn    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


47 


their  huts  around  ii,  out  of  reeds  and  "tules'"  from  the  lake, 
such  being  the  only  materials  they  could  then  obtain,  and 
lastly  they  divided  their  city  into  four  wards  in  the  year 
1325.  Such  was  the  birth  of  the  city  which  is  to-day  the 
capital  of  the  Mexican  Republic— an  imperishable  work  due 
to  the  rash  boldness  of  that  handful  of  valiant  Aztecs,  and  to 
the  constancy  and  energy  of  that  intrepid  prudent  chief." 
The  Spaniards  after  the  conquest,  forgot  the  name  of  the 
Tenochtitlan  and  called  Mexico,  "New  Spain." 

In  the  next  chapter  we  shall  speak  of  the  Aborigenes  of 
New  Mexico,  that  is,  of  their  origin  and  beginning. 


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Is  hand  tabulated  census  Is  the  offlclHl  t-ensus  of  the  only  two  wards  which  made  the  City  of  Santa  Fe 

»>.    It  was  taken  by  .Judge  Jos(5  iBnaclo  Ortiz.    It  shows  a  total  population  of  117.5  souls,  of  which  7(M 

itniniirrlod,   :«<i'  injinli-d  and  7!t  widows  and  widowers— The  orlRlnal  Is  in  my  possession— Thk.  ArxiiOR. 


CHAPTER  II 

The  Indigenes  of  New  Mexico — What  Is  Gathered  From  Their  Tra- 
ditions Regarding  Their  Origin  and  Beginning — Discovery  of 
America — Empire  of  the  Montezumas — Conquest  of  Mexico — 
Cortes  and  Cuahutemoc.      

[n  the  preceding  chapter  we  spoke  of  the  origin,  begin- 
ning and  civilization  of  the  Aztecs;  now  we  shall  treat  of  the 
origin,  beginning  and  civilization  of  the  aborigines  of  New 
Mexico.  Just  as  Cordova,  Grijalva  and  Hernan  Cortes  met 
in  Yucatan  and  Mexico  with  an  empire  of  a  civilized,  indi- 
genous population,  in  like  manner,  the  first  explorers  and 
conquei-ors  of  New  Mexico  found  there  half-civilized  indi- 
genes and  nomadic  tribes  of  savage  Indians.  It  is  true  that 
the  half-civilized  indigenes  of  New  Mexico  were  not  consti- 
tuted in  an  empire  or  any  sort  of  government  that  embraced 
them  all,  as  were  the  Aztecs  in  Mexico,  when  Cortes  con- 
quered their  empire,  and  the  Peruvians  and  the  other  In- 
dians of  South  America  when  their  incas  were  conquered  by 
the  Pizarros  and  Almagro;  nevertheless,  they  lived  in  well 
formed  communities,  dwelling  in  adobe  houses,  and  each 
community  having  its  own  unique  system  of  government. 
They  tilled  their  lands  and  subsisted  from  the  products 
thereof,  from  hunting  and  tishing,  dressed  in  garments 
made  of  cotton  cloth  and  wool;  in  short,  their  history  shows 
that  on  the  north  of  Anahuac,  or  the  Empire  of  the  Monte- 
zumas, they  were  the  most  civilized  Indians  inhabiting  the 
prairies  and  valleys  in  these  regions.  One  of  the  points 
which  neither  historians  nor  ethnologists  have  been  able  to 
unravel,  not  to  mention  the  futility  of  their  efforts  to  clear 
up  the  question  of  their  origin  and  beginning,  is  as  to 
whether  or  not  the  indigenes  of  New  Mexico  aj'e  of  the 
same  race,  origin  and  beginning  as  the  Aztecs,  Toltecs  and 
Mayas.     Of  that  point  we  shall  presently  speak. 

The  Author  does  not  believe  that  the  indigenes  of  New 
Mexico,  whether  we  regard  the  semi-civilized  peoples,  the 
savages  or  the  nomadic  tribes,  had  in  the  least  anything  in 


50  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

common  with  the  indigenes  of  Mexico,  except,  to  be  sure, 
the  common  origin  (d  mankind,  Adam  and  Eve.  No  simil- 
arity whatever  has  been  found,  either  in  their  customs,  reli- 
gious beliefs  or  their  idioms.  We  have  already  seen,  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  that,  according  to  their  traditions  and 
the  Mexican  historians,  the  Mayas,  the  Toltecs,  and  the 
Aztecs  were  the  ones  that  peopled  the  valleys  and  prairies 
which  formed  afterwards  the  immense  and  wealthy  empire  oi 
Queen  Xochitl,  that  this  empire  was  subsequently  conquered 
by  the  Aztecs,  and  that  the  Aztecs  were  the  founders  of  the 
vast  empire  of  Montezuma,  We  have  already  seen,  also,  that 
the  Mayas  arrived  at  the  Peninsula  of  Yucatan  coming  from 
the  East;  that  from  the  North,  the  Toltecs  and  the  Aztecs 
went.  Nothing  more  then  is  necessary  than  a  brief  acquaint- 
ance with  the  geography  of  the  Americas  and  a  very  simple 
examination  of  the  map  of  the  Western  Hemisphere  in  order 
to  realize  that  none  of  the  wandering  tribes  that  peopled 
Mexico  could  have  been  descended  from  the  indigenes  of  New 
Mexico.  A  legend,  invented  some  few  years  ago,  is  extant  to 
the  effect  that  Montezuma  I,  mounted  en  an  enormous  eagle, 
had  conducted  his  people  from  New  Mexico  to  the  Valley  of 
Mexico;  but  that  is  all  a  myth,  and  only  silly  persons  can 
believe  such  nonsense. 

The  Author  of  this  work  has  studied  very  carefully  the 
various  volumes  of  the  erudite  writer  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft 
which  he  dedicates,  in  his  very  interesting  work,  entitled 
"Bancroft's  Works,"  to  the  history  of  the  indigenous  races  of 
the  Pacific  States,  "Native  Races  of  the  Pacific  States,"'  and 
he  has  also  consulted  and  examined  several  of  the  authors  to 
whom  Bancroft  refers,  without  having  ever  been  able  to  arrive 
at  any  other  conclusion  than  the  one  already  expressed;  that 
is,  that  the  more  one  endeavors  to  fathom  the  mystery  that 
envelops  the  origin  of  the  first  inhabitants  who  set  foot  on 
the  Americas,  the  greater  becomes  the  resultant  confusion. 
With  a  desire,  however,  that  the  reader  may  know  the  theories 
of  the  writers  who  have  busied  themselves  more  extensively 
with  the  story  of  the  aborigenes  of  New  Mexico  he  will  present 
here  a  brief  summary  of  what  they  have  related,  and  in  the 
subsequent  chapters  the  reader  shall  read  the  accounts  given 
by  the  first  explorers,  Alvar  Nuflez  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  those 


ILLUSrRATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  51 

who  followed  him,  and  in  this  manner  he  shall  be  able  to 
compare  the  judgment  of  those  writers  with  the  observations 
made  by  those  who  were  the  tirst  eye  witnesses  of  the  primi- 
tive conditions  of  the  indigenes  of  those  times. 

Bancroft  tells  us  that  the  Pueblo  Indians  (for  so  were  they 
tirst  named)  are,  rather  than  any  of  the  other  Indian  nations, 
the  real  American  tribes,  basing  his  belief  in  the  fact  that, 
even  to  our  own  day,  they  are  to  be  found  living  in  the  same 
localities  in  which  the  Spaniards  found  their  ancestors;  that 
they  still  live  and  dress  in  the  same  fashion,  as  their  fore- 
fathers lived  and  dressed,  when  New  Mexico  was  discovered; 
and  that  their  dwelling  houses  are  of  the  same  identical  form 
and  architecture  as  the  ones  occupied  by  their  said  ancestors. 
Bancroft  admits  however,  that  there  are  many  who  refuse 
to  believe  that  the  Mayas,  the  Toltecs,  and  the  Aztecs,  in 
spite  of  their  superior  civilization,  were  in  the  early  times  of 
their  coming,  more  cultured  than  the  Pueblo  Indians,  and  that 
not  withstanding  the  very  radical  differences  in  their  cus- 
toms, idioms  and  culture,  insi-t  in  maintaining  that  the  said 
indigenes  of  New  Mexico  were  the  first  who  set  foot  on  this 
soil,  and  that  the  Mayas,  the  Toltecs,  and  the  Aztecs,  who 
afterwards  emigrated  to  Mexico,  sprang  from  them. 

The  learned  writers  who  thus  adhere  to  the  theory  that 
the  Aztecs  had  their  origin  in  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  that 
they  were  the  descendants  of  the  Pueblo  Indians,  that,  at  the 
time  of  the  emigration  of  the  Aztecs,  their  ancestors  remain- 
ed in  New  Mexico  and  Arizona  forming  themselves  as  the 
years  went  by,  into  pueblos  or  communities,  give,  as  proofs 
of  their  arguments,  the  ruins  and  rehcs  which  are  observed 
and  met  with,  at  every  step,  in  the  desert  valleys,  and 
mountains  of  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  Colorado  and  Utah;  but, 
in  the  opinion  of  the  Author>of  this  work,  their  arguments  do 
not  bear  them  out  very  well  when  compared  with  what  Ban- 
croft tells  us  in  his  "Native  Races."  Referring  to  said  ruins 
and  relics  Bancroft  says:  "It  is  very  difficult  for  me  to  con- 
ceive a  greater  and  more  essential  difference  than  the  one 
existing  between  the  buildings  constructed  by  the  New 
Mexican  Indians  and  those  erected  by  the  Indians  of  Mexico 

and  Central  America"' I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as 

affirming  that  it  may  not  be  possible  that  the  Aztecs  were  not, 


52  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

thousands  of  years  ago,  of  an  identical  race  as  the  native 
born  New  Mexicans,  as  I  have  faith  in  the  great  changes  of 
ages,  and  in  how  those  changes  affect  human  beings;  not  at 
all,  I  simply  assert  that  it  is  manifestly  absurd  to  declare 
that  the  ruins  alluded  to  had  been  the  work  of  the  Aztecs  at 
the  time  of  their  departure  on  their  emigration  without  these 
ruins  conserving  any  semblance  to  the  buildings  found  in 
Anahuac"  (Mexico).  We  have  now  seen  in  concrete  form  the 
opinions  of  Bancroft  and  of  those  who  differ  from  him;  let  us 
now  hear  the  historians  from  New  Mexico  and  from  other 
parts,  together  with  the  authorities  they  quote  in  support  of 
their  suppositions.  There  have  been  several  writers  w4io 
besides  Bancroft,  have  brought  histories  to  light  concerning 
New  Mexico,  such  as  the  work  of  Josiah  Gregg  "Commerce 
of  the  Prairies,''  published  in  1839,  in  two  volumns,  which  on 
account  of  the  venality  of  its  language,  and  the  countless 
asinities  and  calumnies  with  which  it  abounds  in  regard  to 
the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico,  cannot  be  considered  a  se- 
rious historical  work,  despite  the  fact  that,  some  of  its  chap- 
ters are  not  Idcking  in  merit;  the  history  of  New  Mexico,  by 
Davis,  which  seems  to  have  taken  its  inspiration  from  the 
obscene  nonsense  written  by  Gregg  concerning  the  inhabir- 
ants  of  New  Mexico;  the  history  of  Haines  which,  by  reason 
of  the  impartiality  and  erudition  of  its  authoress,  is  more  or 
less  worthy  of  attention  and  consideration,  but  the  ones 
which  deserve  most  our  study  as  serious  works,  besides 
Bancroft's  are  those  written  by  the  Most  Rev.  Juan 
Bautista  Salpointe,  Archbishop  of  Santa  Pe,  entitled  "The 
Soldiers  of  the  Cross''  and  Mr,  L.  Bradford  Prince's  entitled 
"Historical  Sketches  of  New  Mexico."  Both  historians  en- 
joy a  very  highly  established  reputation  in  the  world  of 
letters,  imparting  thus  to  their  works  the  prestige  which  the 
words  of  such  prominent  personages  carry  along  in  them- 
selves. 

Prince  divides  the  history  of  New  Mexico  into  three  dis- 
tinct epochs;  the  epoch  of  the  aborigines,  the  Spanish  and 
the  American  epochs.  In  the  tirst  part  of  his  work  he  gives 
us  a  very  concise  indeed,  but  most  pleasing  and  jiidicious 
epitome  concerning  the  aborigines  of  New  Mexico.  He 
tells   us  that,  as  the  Indians   had  no   records,    or   writings 


ILLUSTKATKI)    EIISTORY    OF    NKVV    MEXICO.  53 

about  their  origin  and  beginning,  nothing  can  be  learned 
about  their  history  except  what  can  be  gleaned  from  their 
traditions,  and  what  the  Europeans,  wlio  tirstknew  them, 
wrote  concerning  them.  Prince  declares  that,  on  divers 
occasions,  before  the  conquest  and  colonization  of  the  terri- 
tory by  the  Spaniards,  several  explorers  had  traversed  its 
plains  and  mountains,  and  mentions  Cabeza  de  Vaca  who 
visited  the  territory  (it  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  at  those 
times  the  boundaries  of  New  Mexico  extended  on  the  south- 
east very  far  into  the  interior  of  what  is  today  the  state  of 
Chihuahua,  Mexico),  by  mere  accident  in  1535-36  in  his  long 
pilgrimage  from  the  coast  of  Florida  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
Friars  Augustin  Rpdriguez  (Kuiz)  and  Marcos^  de  Niza  who 
visited  it,  Niza  being  the  first  one,  in  1539,  Cordova,  as  a 
conqueror  in  1540,  and  Ruiz  1581 — Niza  and  Ruiz  as  mission- 
aries. Prince  does  not  hesitate  to  say— and  he  is  not  mis- 
taken— that  all  that  is  known  about  those  epochs  is  what  is 
read  in  the  accounts  given  of  them  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Niza, 
Coronado,  etc.,  etc.  Those  accounts,  says  Prince,  are  of  the 
highest  interest,  as  they  picture  very  vividly  the  admirable 
degree  of  civilization  of  the  Indians,  who  were  found  entirely 
isolated,  in  the  midst  of  intransitable  deserts,  and  sur- 
rounded by  nomadic  and  barbarous  tribes. 

In  the  history  of  New  Mexico,  written  by  Helen  Haines  in 
1891,  we  find  the  startling  remark  that  "It  has  been  said  that 
the  Pueblo  Indians  of  New  Mexico  were  forced  to  live  in 
pueblos  and  communities  by  the  Spaniards,"'  but  the  author 
does  not  tell  us  where  she  obtained  that  information,  and  it 
may  well  be  thought  that,  from  a  vague  rumor,  or  through 
a  stretch  of  her  own  imagination  she  may  have  made  such  a 
fabrication,  as  no  author  of  respectable  standing  has  ever 
uttered  such  nonsense.  Speaking  of  the  origin  of  the  in- 
digenes of  New  Mexico  this  author  says  that  "Their  origin 
is  wrapped  up  on  that  obscurity  which  always  envelops  or 
surrounds  unlettered  peoples,"'  and  declares  the  Toltecs  and 
Aztecs  to  be  descendants  of  the  indigenes  of  New  Mexico. 

The  last  author,  whose  word,  on  account  of  the  elevated  and 
eminent  position  he  tilled  in  the  world,  is  sufficient  guaranty 
of  what  he  asserts,  bases  the  statement  in  his  profound  and 
serious  study  both  of  sacred  as  well  as  profane  history.     He 


54  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY     OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

is  His  Grace,  the  Most  Rev,  Juan  Bautista  Salpointe,  Arch- 
bisliop  of  Santa  Fe.  Don  Juan  Bautista  Salpointe,  dedicated 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  the  history  of  the  Indians  of 
America,  lived  among  them  as  missionary  the  greater  part  of 
his  life,  broadening,  perhaps  more  than  any  one  else,  his 
theoretical  knowledge  acquired  from  books  by  means  of  his 
practical  and  personal  study  of  the  Indian  himself,  consti- 
tuting himself,  not  only  a  missionary  but  also  an  archeologist 
and  ethnologist,  and  leaving  us,  as  a  result,  his  beautiful 
v^ork — "The  Soldiers  of  the  Cross,"  fruit  of  his  learning 
acquired  at  the  cost  of  untold  sufferings,  privations  and 
sacrifices.  As  worthy  successor  of  the  immortal  Archbishop, 
Don  Juan  B.  Lamy,  and  of  the  other  missionaries,  Ruiz,  Niza, 
and  other  "Soldiers  of  the  Cross,"  he  naturally  dedicated  his 
whole  missionary  life  to  the  study  of  the  indigenous  inhabit- 
ants of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  having  at  his  disposal,  in 
addition  to  his  own  observations,  the  valuable  ecclesiastical 
archives  at  Santa  Fe,  among  which  are  found  historical 
accounts  written  from  the  earlier  times  on  the  history  of  New 
Mexico  by  the  real  conquerors  of  this  soil — who  came  to 
baptize  with  their  blood  the  immense  plains  and  deserts  of 
what  is  today  California,  Texas,  Arizona,  New  Mexico, 
Colorado  and  Utah.  In  possession  of  such  rich  treasures 
of  most  useful  information,  he  bequeathed  to  us  such  an 
interesting  mass  of  circumstances,  which  blended  together, 
present  to  us  in  a  convincing  manner  that  which  better  agrees 
with  natural  reason  respecting  the  enigmatical  question 
which  has  so  dumfounded  the  historians,  archeologists  and 
ethnologists  of  past  and  present  epochs  and  the  writers  of  all 
nations,  namely:  "What  is  the  Origin  and  Beginning  of  the 
Pueblo  Indians  of  New  Mexico?" 

The  inquiries  of  A.rchbishop  Salpointe  stretch  back  to  the 
year  1538,  the  date  in  which  the  tirst  evangelical  missions 
were  given  in  that  part  of  the  territory  which  up  to  1863 
belonged  to  New  Mexico,  but  which  is  now  the  State  of 
Arizona.  "Without  pronouncing  any  judgement,"  he  tells  us, 
"on  the  opinion  of  ethnologists  and  of  those  who  make  serious 
studies  of  the  sacred  books  regarding  the  American  Indians, 
we  simply  follow  the  text  of  the  book  of  Genesis,  adhering 
to  the  belief  that,  with  the  exception  of  Noah  and  the  mem- 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  55 

bers  of  his  family,  tlie  deluge  completely  destroyed  mankind 
and  all  the  living  animals,  save  those  which  by  the  command 
of  God,  Noah  carried  along  with  him  in  the  Ark,  the  fact  as 
to  whether  the  deluge  was  partial  or  universal  being  unim- 
portant  to  our  aim,"  and  in  support  of  his  proposition,  he 
quotes  the  book  of  Genesis  wherein  God  says:  "I  shall  erase, 
he  said,  fr(»m  the  face  of  the  earth,  man  who  I  created,  from 
man  unto  the  animals,  from  the  reptile  unto  the  birds  of  the 
heavens,  for  1  repent  of  having  made  them."  The  illustrious 
author  mentions,  in  addition  to  what  has  been  related,  the 
renowned  writers,  both  Catholics,  and  of  other  religious 
creeds,  among  the  latter.  W.  Fraser,  G.  Rowlinson,  Karl 
Ritter,  Baron  von  Humboldt,  and  John  Kitto,  as  well  as  the 
Spanish  and  Mexican  authors,  Gomara,  Herrera,  and  Juan 
de  Solorzano  who  agree  with  him.  We  have  already  seen  in 
another  part  of  this  work  that  when  the  Spaniards  conquered 
the  Mexican  Empire,  the  indigenes  had  ideas  based  in  their 
traditions,  of  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  of  the  creation  of  the 
world,  and  of  the  deluge.  The  indigenes  of  Arizona,  or  rather 
of  New  Mexico,  had  the  same  belief  and  ideas,  according  to 
Archbishop  Salpointe.  Analyzing  these  versions,  the  Arch- 
bishop asks  himself  the  question  following:  "If  all  men  are 
descended  from  Noah,  whence  came  the  first  inhabitants  of  the 
New  World  and  which  direction  did  they  take  to  get  it?"  and  he 
finds  a  satisfactory  answer  to  his  question  in  what  Herrera, 
Torquemada  and  Acosta  say,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  New 
World  had  their  origin  in  the  Old  World  and  that  all  descended 
from  Noah.  To  the  statements  of  said  authors  His  Grace, 
Archbishop  Salpointe  subjoins  the  answer  given  him  by  Juan 
Soxloza,  a  Pdpago  Indian  of  Saint  Xavier's  mission,  Arizona 
at  the  time  His  Grace  was  but  an  humble  missionary  in  Ari- 
zona in  the  year  1866.  "Soxloza,"  the  Archbishop  says,  "had 
a  good  knowledge  of  the  Castillian  language  and  paid  no 
attention  to  the  fabulous  narrative  of  those  of  his  own  tribe. 
I  asked  him  if  he  knew  whence  had  come  the  Papago  Indians 
and  of  what  means  had  they  availed  themselves  to  come  to 
this  country;  and  he  answered  that  he  had  many  times  heard 
the  elders  of  his  tribe  say  in  their  "night  time  chats"  that 
very  long  ago  their  ancestors  had  come  from  very  far  off 
lands  and  that  they  had  had  to  ford  a  river  that  was   neither 


56  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

too  wide  nor  too  deep,  but  because  their  number  was  large, 
all  coula  not  cross  the  river  in  a  short  time,  whereupon  the 
water  of  the  river  commenced  to  swell,  so  much  that  a  great 
portion  of  the  people  remained  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.' 

The  Author  of  this  work  became  convinced  that  the  theory 
asserting  that  all  Indians,  who  tirst  set  foot  on  the  Western 
Hemisphere,  came  from  the  old  world  after  the  deluge,  is  the 
most  reasonable  and  the  one  which  agrees  better  with  com- 
mon sense.  He  arrived  at  this  conviction,  from  what  he  was 
able  to  understand  after  consulting  the  authors  quoted,  and 
other  writers  whose  tlieories  he  did  not  care  to  quote  because 
those  writers  seemed  to  hold  on  to  the  theories  herein  set 
forth.  The  reader,  however,  will  have  a  better  opportu- 
nity of  forming  his  own  solution  of  this  mystery  when  he 
reads  the  chapters  following  in  regard  to  the  accounts  given 
by  the  first  discoverers  and  conquerors,  enabling  himself 
thus  to  see  the  precise  condition  of  the  indigenes  in  this 
State  from  the  time  when  their  history  began  to  be 
formed  from  that  condition;  and  look  back,  with  the  aid  of 
the  knowledge  thus  acquired,  to  pre-historic  times,  increas- 
ing thus  the  number  of  those  who  have  made  such  studies, 
and  have  dedicated  so  much  time  in  an  effort  to  tear  open  the 
veil  concealing  that  secret.* 

Before  commencing  with  the  narratives  of  the  first  settlers 
and  conquerors  of  New  Mexico,  the  Author  wishes  to  give 
here  a  brief  account  of  the  discovery  of  America,  the  life  and 
grandeur  of  Emperor  Montezuma,  his  ancestors  and  suc- 
cessors; of  the  discovery  and  conquest  of  Mexico  by  Hernan 
Cortes,  and  the  tragical  end  uf  the  last  Mexican  Emperor, 
Cuahutemoc,  cruelly  and  cowardly  murdered  by  Cortes, who 
thus  stained  the  immortal  diadem  that  adorned  his  brow  as 
the  conqueror  of  Mexico,  and  wreathed  with  imperishable 
glory  the  name  of  the  most  illustrious  of  the  heroes  that 
honor  the  pages  of  the  history  of  the  new  world — that  noble 
patriot,  the  Emperor  Cuahutemoc.  The  Author  deems  this 
narrative  of  great  importance  because  the  discovery  and 
conquest  of  New  Mexico  is  interwoven  with  those  great 
events.   What  the  Author  shall  say,  in  said  narrative  concern- 

*Note— See  the  account  g-iven  by  Fr.  Benavides  to  the  Kinyof  Sjiain 
in  Ki.W  which  is  published  herein  as  Appendix  No.  1-Thk  Atthoh. 


ILLUSTRATED    HtSTOIiV    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  'u 

injr  the  discovery  of  America,  of  the  rei^n  of  the  Montezu- 
inas,  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  and  the  execution  of  Cuahute- 
moc  by  Cort6s  has  been  taken  from  the  interesting  work  of 
Don  Bruno  R.  Fabian,  a  Mexican  author,  entitled:  "Hio. 
gratias  de  los  Heroes  de  la  Independencia." 

Christopher  Columbus-  Discovery  of  America. 

Christopher  Ccjlunibus  was  a  celebrated  sailor,  who, 
thanks  to  his  courage  and  intelligence,  succeeded  in  discov- 
ering, after  many  sufferings,  and  a  perilous  navigation  in 
that  immensity  of  water  which  we  call  the  sea,  the  conti- 
nent wherein  we  live. 

He  was  born  in  Genoa,  Italy,  in  1441,  according  to  the  best 
opinion.  His  parents  were  Den  Domingo  Colombo,  a  wool- 
comber,  and  Doila  Susana  Pontana  Rosa.  He  went  through 
his  primary  course  of  instruction  on  his  native  soil,  and,  on 
the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  year  of  his  age,  he  dedicated 
himself  to  navigation.  In  this  career  he  acquired  a  pro 
found  knowledge  even  to  the  conception  of  the  existence  of 
other  regions,  for  the  wise  men  of  those  days  thought 
there  were  no  other  lands  but  the  ones  they  knew. 

America,  as  the  whole  large  extension  of  land  in  which  we 
live  is  called,  was  not  known  by  the  inhabitants  that  dwelt  on 
the  other  side  of  the  sea. 

In  past  ages  there  was  a  general  enthusiasm  in  those 
kingdoms;  they  were  endeavoring  to  discover  a  short  route  to 
India.  Portugal  was  the  most  venturesome;  it  caused  marin- 
ers to  be  brought  from  everywhere,  among  whom  was 
Columbus,  who  for  sometime  had  been  living  in  Portugal 
married  to  the  daughter  of  a  celebrated  navigator.  This 
navigator  left  him  as  a  legacy  many  geographical  charts, 
descriptions  of  voyages,  and  accounts  of  some  discoveries. 
These  enlightened  the  mind  of  Columbus  to  the  degree  of 
enabling  him  to  conceive  the  happy  thought  that,  by  traveling 
westward,  India  could  be  reached  sooner,  because  the  earth 
was  round.  The  idea  of  the  roundness  of  the  earth  was  the 
greatest  honor  in  the  glory  of  Columbus. 

Having  conceived  his  project  he  first  proposed  it  to  his  own 
country,  Italy,  but,  his  countrymen  not  heeding  him,  he 
returned  to  Portugal;  there  abodv  of  learned  men  considered 


58  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

his  projects  but,  as  they  could  not  understand  them,  they 
declared  him  a  crazy  visionary,  whereupon  he  went  to  Spain. 

This  nation  approved  the  plans  of  Columbus  with  great 
enthusiasm,  but  no  immediate  help  was  furnished  him 
because  the  nation  was  engaged  in  a  war  with  the  Moors.  He, 
therefore,  had  to  wait  for  about  eight  years.  In  his  despair, 
and  already  a  widower,  for  his  wife  had  died,  he  resolved  to  go 
over  to  France,  but  his  friends,  among  them  Fray  Perez  de 
Marchena,  the  queen's  adviser,  exerted  in  his  favor  their 
great  influence  with  the  queen  who  in  a  burst  of  enthusiasm 
exclaimed:  "I  take  the  enterprise  of  the  discovery  for  my 
crown  of  Castille:  if  there  are  no  funds  in  the  treasury  I  shall 
pawn  my  jewels."  That  did  not  happen  as  Don  Luis  of  San- 
tangel,  secretary  to  the  queen,  furnished  the  money  neces- 
sary for  the  expedition. 

Columbus  was  appointed  admiral  of  the  high  seas  and 
viceroy  of  the  countries  he  should  discover.  Immediately  he 
fitted  up  his  expedition  which  was  composed  of  three  schoon- 
ers called  the  "Santa  Maria,"  "La  Pinta"'  and  "La  Nina,"  and, 
each  with  a  crew  of  thirty  men,  set  sail  from  the  port  of  Palos 
de  Moguer  on  the  3rd  day  of  August,  1492,  amid  music  and 
the  general  enthusiasm  and  joyous  acclaim  of  the  multitudes. 

A  few  days  after  the  departure  one  of  the  vessels  La  Pinta 
was  damaged,  and  they  had  to  stop  over  at  the  Canary  Islands 
till  September  6  when  they  embarked  upon  the  real  enterprise 
over  that  immense  waste  of  water  to  them  unknown.  On  the 
13th  day  the  navigators  observed  the  variation  of  the  needle, 
a  circumstance  which  struck  them  with  great  terror  until 
Columbus  explained  to  them  the  cause.  After  the  next  three 
days  they  beheld  in  the  heavens  a  luminous  belt  which  again 
alarmed  them,  but  the  admiral  who  was  a  man  of  great 
talents  was  able  again  to  dispel  their  uneasiness  by  explaining 
to  them  the  meteor,  and  later  on  they  met  with  a  tlock  of  bi  rds, 
a  part  of  the  sea  full  of  weeds,  pieces  of  wood  and  many  signs 
of  nearby  land,  which  caused  among  them  a  great  deal  of 
wonder  and  enthusiasm,  but  as  these  disappeared,  gloom  and 
even  rebellion  again  returned. 

On  October  10,  a  general  dissatisfaction  broke  out  afresh 
among  the  crew,  there  was  an  instance  in  which  they 
threatened  the  admiral  with  death  if  he  did  not  turn   back 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  59 

to  Spain,  but  lie  succeeded  in  quieting  their  spirts  by  offer- 
ing to  return  them  to  their  liomes  if  in  a  few  days  they  did 
not  discover  land.  Happily  the  next  day,  at  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night,  Columbus  noticed  in  the  distance  a  faint 
light,  and  ordered  them  to  be  ready  promising  a  reward  to 
the  tirst  who  should  see  the  land.  All  night  long  they  kept 
watch  with  indescribable  restlessness,  until  at  dawn,  on  the 
twelfth,  Rodrigo  de  Triana  gave  the  glad  shout  of  "Land, 
Land,"  amid  the  boom  of  a  cannon  shot. 

Admiral  Christopher  Columbus  after  sailing  for  seventy 
days,  exposed  to  the  murmurs  and  rebellion  of  his  crews, 
had  discovered  on  the  twelfth  day  of  October,  1492,  these 
lands  which   he  baptized  with  the  name  of  "New  World."' 

The  tirst  land  he  touched  on  this  continent  was  one  of  the 
Lucayas  called  "Guanani"  by  the  aborigines,  and  to  which 
he  gave  the  name  of  San  Salvador,  being  also  known  by  the 
name  of  Cat  Island. 

It  is  said  that  Columbus,  filled  with  emotion  and  falling  on 
his  knees,  kissed  the  land,  moistened  it  with  his  tears  and 
gave  thanks  to  Providence  for  permitting  him  to  realize  what 
had  been  for  so  long  the  object  of  his  ambition.  He  next 
discovered  the  island  of  Cuba,  which  he  called  Juana,  and 
about  which,  he  said,  that  it  was  the  most  beautiful  land 
that  eyes  had  ever  seen.  He  also  discovered  Santo  Do- 
mingo and  some  others.  In  the  waters  of  Haiti  one  of  his 
vessels  was  wrecked,  and,  on  his  return  to  Spain,  he  was  on 
the  point  of  perishing  in  mid  sea.  When  he  thought  himself 
lost,  on  account  of  the  fury  of  the  storm,  he  wrote  a  brief 
account  for  the  Catholic  kings,  placed  it  in  a  flask  secured  in 
a  cask  which  he  carefully  calked  and  then  cast  it  into  the 
sea.  But  Providence  was  more  favorable,  and  the  daring 
mariners  reached  Spain  landing  in  the  very  same  port  of 
Palos  on  March  15,  1493,  from  which  they  had  before 
started. 

The  Catholic  sovereigns  received  Columbus  kindly,  and, 
after  celebrating  his  return  with  a  solemn  high  mass,  they 
listened  with  enthusiasm  to  his  narratives,  overloaded  him 
with  honors,  and  placed  at  his  disposal  every  element  need- 
ed for  a  second  voyage. 


60  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

The  admiral  made  four  trips  to  the  new  world,  adding  in 
each  important  discoveries  the  news  of  which  caused  great 
sensations  in  all  the  kingdoms  of  those  time». 

When  he  returned  fiom  his  last  voyage,  the  queen  had 
died,  and  now,  bereft  of  the  aid  of  his  generous  protectress, 
he  died  in  the  greatest  misery  on  the  20th  of  May,  1506, 
without  receiving  from  King  Ferdinand  the  least  help,  but 
carrying  along  with  himself  the  glory  of  having  discovered  a 
new  world  and  having  demolished  in  fragments  ancient 
science. 

His  remains  reposed  in  the  sacristy  of  the  Cathedral  at 
Havana,where  they  were  carried  in  1795.  Spain  has  demanded 
them  as  national  relics. 

Montezuma   II  or  Xocoyotzin. 

After  the  reigns  of  the  great  King  Izcoatl,  Axayacatl,  the 
conqueror,  and  the  valiant  and  warlike  Montezuma  Ilhuica- 
mina,  Montezuma  II  or  Xocoyotzin  ascended  the  throne. 

Montezuma  was  a  brother  of  Ahuizotl,  and  son  of  Axayacatl 
the  conqueror.  When  the  assembly  of  the  nobles  named  him 
king  of  the  Aztec  empire,  he  was  a  priest,  a  dignity  held  in 
high  consideration  and  respect  by  all  social  classes 

Montezuma  lost,  with  his  elevation  to  the  throne,  all 
humility,  he  became  haughty  and  tyrannical,  destroyed  all 
equality,  and  surrounded  himself  with  a  despotic  and  ridicu- 
lous court. 

The  whole  empire  groaned  under  the  yoke  of  his  tyranny, 
and  the  tributes  continually  increased  under  penalty  of  death, 
to  those  who  opposed. 

His  extravagance  was  scandalous.  Three  hundred  subjects 
waited  on  him.  On  a  large  table  more  than  a  hundred  viands 
were  placed  before  him  in  gold  and  silver  vases,  and,  seated 
oa  a  tine  linen  cushion,  he  pointed  with  his  golden  sceptre  to 
the  viands  he  desired  to  take  and  which  were  served  to  him 
during  the  sound  of  music.  His  servants  remained  in  his  pres- 
ence in  the  most  profound  silence.  They  changed  garments 
three  or  four  times  a  day  without  ever  again  putting  them  on. 
His  despotism  was  incomparable.  No  one  entered  his  palace 
without  taking  his  shoes  off,  and,  before  addressing  him  a 
word,  they  had  to  make  three  profound  bows,  saying,  "Lord, 


ILLUSTKATED    HISTOKY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  Gl 

my  LordI  Great  LordI"  without  raising  their  eyes  to  see  him, 
and,  on  retiring,  it  was  forbidden  them  to  turn  their  backs  on 
him,  for  every  little  carelessness  was  punishable  with  death. 
Later  on,  his  despotic  and  tyrannical  character  suffered  a 
radical  change:  his  superstition  increased  from  day  to  day, 
and  he  believed  that  every  natural  phenomenon  as  an  eclipse, 
hurricane,  etc.,  was  a  foreboding  of  the  destruction  of  his 
empire,  foretold,  as  it  had  been,  by  the  old  priests. 

For  that  reason,  when  the  Spaniards  arrived  in  Mexico  he 
felt  not  with  sufficient  courage  to  counteract  in  himself  what 
he  called  the  decree  of  his  false  gods,  and  to  battle  against 
the  enemy  as  his  forefathers  had  done,  but  sought  by  means 
of  rich  gold  presents,  to  retire  them,  not  understanding  that 
in  such  a  manner  he  only  augmented  the  greed  of  the  Span- 
ish adventurers. 

In  the  first  embassy  sent  by  him  to  Cortes  the  latter 
learned  that  he  was  held  as  a  god  (by  Montezuma).  He 
dressed  himself,  thereupon,  in  his  best  apparel,  ordered  a 
throne  to  be  improvised  for  him,  and  there  received  the 
Tecutli  and  the  ambassadors  from  Montezuma  with  rich 
presents.  He  commanded  the  artillery  to  be  fired  and  or- 
dered the  Spaniards  to  maneuvre  on  their  horses.  This 
exhibition,  so  extraordinary  for  the  Indians,  resulted  in  con- 
vincing them  that  the  Spaniards  were  gods,  and  that  Quet- 
zalcoatl  came  with  them.  Some  Indians  copied  on  paper, 
made  from  the  Maguey,  all  that  they  had  seen,  and  promptly 
took  the  road  back  to  Mexico  to  give  an  account  to  their 
Monarch. 

Whilst  this  was  going  on  in  the  coast  of  Vera  Cruz,  Monte- 
zuma in  Mexico  was  gathering  his  nobles  and  several  kings, 
his  friends,  to  deliberate  as  to  wiiether  they  should  receive 
on  terms  of  peace  those  whom  he  believed  to  be  deities. 
Cowed  down,  as  they  were,  they  all  resolved  to  receive  them 
peacefully;  Cuitldhuac  alone,  however,  said:  "My  way  of 
thinking  is.  Great  Lord,  that  you  admit  not  in  your  house 
those  who  may  eject  you  from  it!"  But  Montezuma,  who 
was  so  sunk  in  the  fatality  of  his  beliefs  left  the  way  open  to 
the  Spaniards,  who,  otherwise  might  have  not  realized  their 
bold  plans. 


62  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

When  Cortes  appeared  before  Tenochtitldn,  (the  City  of 
Mexico)  Montezumawent  out  to  receive  him  amid  a  scandalous 
display,  and,  after  giving  him  a  banquet,  lodged  him  in  one  of 
the  palaces  of  the  kings. 

Later  on,  the  Monarch  always  v^eak,  v^ent  to  live  with 
Cortes,  in  cowardly  compliance  with  the  caprices  of  the  in- 
vader, and  the  latter  having  learned  from  the  Monarch  him- 
self that  other  Spaniards  were  coming  to  take  the  command 
away  from  him,  left  Mexico  leaving  Alvarado  in  his  stead. 
The  latter  made  a  horrible  massacre  in  the  temple  of  their 
gods  at  the  moment  in  which  the  Mexicans  were  celebrating 
the  feast  of  Tozcatl,  m  the  month  of  May, 

This  infamous  massacre  roused  the  resentment  of  the  In- 
-dians  who  attacked  the  Spanish  quarters.  Alvarado  received 
a  stone  blow  on  the  head  and  several  Spaniards  were  wound- 
ed, Montezuma  for  the  first  time  succeeded  in  causing  the 
assailants  commanded  by  Cuitlahuac  to  withdraw. 

The  Mexicans  withdrew  in  search  of  new  war  elements. 
On  the  arrival  of  Cortes  the  Spaniards  were  attacked  anew, 
but  Cort6s,  taking  advantage  of  the  person  of  Montezuma 
told  him  to  go  out  and  harangue  his  people.  The  Mrmarch, 
weak  as  usual  clad  in  his  best  robes,  and  accompanied  by 
Marina,  a  noble  Indian  damsel  who  served  as  interpreter  for 
Cortes,  approached  the  parapet  of  the  palace,  harangued  his 
people  telling  them  that  the  Spaniards  were  ready  to  leave 

the  City but,  as  it  w^as  to  be  expected, 

the  Mexicans  failed,  for  the  first  time,  in  this  traditional  re- 
spect to  their  kings,  and  young  Cuahutemoc  incited  the  war- 
riors not  to  obey  Montezuma,  and  he  himself  pushing 
ahead  of  them  threw  a  stone  at  him  wounding  him  on  the 
head.  It  is  said  that  Montezuma  died  from  the  effects  of  the 
stone  blow,  but  historical  criticism  has  rejected  tliat  error 
assuring  us  that  it  was  a  murder  planned  by  Cortes  to  confuse 
the  Mexicans  at  the  funeral  of  their  king  and  thus  succeed 
in  getting  out  of  the  city,  Montezuma  II  or  Xocoyotzin  died 
on  June  30th,  1520,  a  victim  of  his  superstitions, 

liernan  Cortes — Conquest  of  Mexico. 
This  Spanish  adventurer  was   born  at  Medellin,  Spain,  in 
the  year  1485.     Ifis  parents  were  Don   Martin  Cortes  and 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  6;} 

Doiia  Catalina  Pozarro  de  Altamirano,  both  of  noble  families, 
though  of  scant  fortune.  They  dedicated  him  to  study,  and, 
from  childhood  he  displayed  a  great  deal  of  brightness  and 
vivacity.  He  was  sent  to  the  University  of  Salamanca 
because  his  parents  wished  him  to  study  law;  but,  as  he  was 
of  a  restless  character,  inclined  to  adventure,  he  soon  aban- 
doned college  and  embraced  with  warmth  the  profession  of 
arms.  His  parents  sent  him  to  Santo  Domingo,  where  he 
contributed  powerfully  to  the  subjection  of  the  rebellious 
pueblos;  thence  he  went  over  to  settle  in  Cuba,  and  there  he 
received  from  Governor  Don  Diego  Veldsquez  the  appoint- 
ment of  Alcalde  in  the  villa  of  Santiago. 

Velasquez,  hearing,  from  two  expeditions  he  had  organ- 
ized, that  gold  and  silver  in  great  abundance  were  found 
on  the  coasts  of  Mexico,  enthusiastically  organized  a  third 
expedition  and  placed  it  under  the  command  of  Hernan 
Cortes.  The  latter  secretly  equipped  his  expedition,  sum- 
moned his  men  to  embark,  bought  provisions,  arms  and 
ammunition,  and  several  horses,  etc.,  using  for  that  purpose 
a  large  portion  of  his  own  means. 

Velasquez,  fearing  that  his  authority  might  be  disregarded 
by  Cortes  when  the  latter  should  be  sailing  on  the  high  seas, 
and  knowing  him  to  be  already  a  man  of  military  reputa- 
tion, gave  orders  depriving  him  of  the  captainship,  but  it 
was  too  late.  Cortes  set  sail,  heading  for  Yucatan,  on  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1519.  With  him  were  Pedro  de  Alvarado,  who 
gave  his  name  to  the  river  of  Alvarado,  Diego  de  Ordaz, 
Bernal  Diaz  del  Castillo,  and  others,  too  many  to  enumerate. 

After  traversing  a  perilous  stretch  of  sea,  they  reached 
the  island  of  Cozumel,  Pedro  de  Alvarado  ransacked  the 
temples,  stealing  their  golden  ornaments;  but  Cortes,  dis- 
gusted at  such  an  action,  severely  reprimanded  him  and 
caused  the  stolen  valuables  to  be  returned  to  the  Indians. 
There  he  set  free  a  Spaniard  named  Ger6nimo  de  Aguilar, 
who  had  been  made  captive  in  a  previous  expedition,  and 
who  further  on,  was  of  great  use  to  him  as  an  interpreter. 
From  Cozumel  he  took  the  way  to  Tabasco,  where  he  was 
received  with  hostile  demonstrations,  but,  after  some  bloody 
combats,  entered  the  town.  Here  he  received  several  em- 
bassies bringing  him  presents    of  birds,  gold    and  twenty 


64  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

female  slaves,  among  them  the  celebrated  Marina,  who 
contributed  powerfully  to  the  triumph  of  the  conquerors. 
From  Tabasco  he  went  to  Vera  Cruz  where  he  founded  that 
city,  and  organized  a  body  or  council  of  aldermen  who  gave 
him  the  title  of  Captain  General  declaring  him  independent 
of  the  authority  of  Velasquez.  At  Vera  Cruz  he  again  re- 
ceived several  presents  from  Emperor  Montezuma,  among 
them  two  enormous  plates  as  large  as  carriage  wheels — 
one  made  of  gold  representing  the  sun,  and  the  other  of 
silver  representing  the  moon. 

Montezuma  sent  word  to  Cortes  stating  that  he  was  very 
glad  of  his  coming,  but  that  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to 
come  to  the  coast,  nor  for  Cortes  to  reach  Mexico,  because 
of  the  roughness  of  the  roads.  The  monarch  thus  wished, 
by  means  of  entreaties  and  gold  to  turn  the  Spanish  con- 
querors away,  not  realizing  that  he  increased,  by  such  a 
course,  the  cupidity  of  bold  adventurers,  who  thereupon 
undertook,  with  greater  eagerness,  their  march  to  Mexico. 
On  their  approach  to  Tlascala,  the  TIascalans,  under  the 
brave  Xicotincatl,  gave  him  three  battles,  in  all  of  which, 
the  Spaniards  were  on  the  point  of  defeat;  but  having  at  last 
triumphed,  they  remained  there  for  a  month  instructing  the 
Indians  in  the  Christian  doctrine  and  gathering  information 
regarding  Mexico. 

They  next  turned  toward  Cholula  where  they  were  received 
with  every  appearance  of  good  will,  but  a  conspiracy  against 
them  having^been  discovered  by  Marina,  Cortes  ordered  the 
principal  chiefs  to  gather  on  the  plaza.  When  they  came,  he 
ordered  his  soldiers  to  put  them  to  death.  The  massacre 
lasted  two  days,  and  for  two  days  the  sacred  city  was  a  mass 
of  flames. 

Cortes  then  continued  his  march  to  Mexico,  where,  on  his 
arrival,  Montezuma  received  him  with  great  pomp  and  gave 
him  lodgement  in  the  palace  of  his  father  Axaydcatl.  A  few 
days  after,  Montezuma  was  the  prisoner  of  Cortes,  and  the 
later  being  informed  by  Montezuma  himself  that  other  Span- 
iards were  coming  to  take  the  command  away  from  him,  he 
started  from  Mexico  leaving  Pedro  de  Alvarado  in  his  stead. 

Diego  Velasquez  had  sent  P^nfilo  de  Narvdez  to  deprive 
Cortes  of    the  command,   but  the  later  was  surprised   at 


ILLUSTKATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  65 

Cempoalaand  completely  routed.  On  returnint?  to  the  Capital, 
Cortes  found  things  sad  and  sombre,  because  Pedro  de 
Alvarado  had  caused  a  cowardly  massacre  to  be  committed  on 
the  Indians.  The  Indians  rebelled  and  assaulted  the  Spanish 
quarters.  Cortes  commanded  Montezuma  to  quiet  down  his 
people,  but  far  from  being  appeased,  they  hurled  rocks  at  him 
wounding  him  on  the  head. 

The  Spanish  adventurers,  bent  on  escaping,  prepared 
their  march,  and,  after  the  death  of  Montezuma,  filed  out  of 
the  city  taking  the  greatest  precautions  not  to  be  seen  or  felt 
by  the  Indians;  but  Cuitlahuac,  who  knew  their  movements, 
commanded  his  men  to  destroy  the  causeways,  bridges  and 
lanes,  and.  on  discovering  the  Spaniards,  attacked  them  with 
such  a  fury  that  the  principal  captains  of  Cortes  perished  by 
drowning,-  and  himself  also  narrowly  escaped  from  the 
massacre.  But  thanks  to  the  daring  of  his  companions,  they 
saved  him  amid  the  whistling  of  arrows,  the  roaring  of 
cannons  that  sank  in  the  mud,  the  sundering  of  armours  and 
the  frightful  yells  of  the  combatants,  above  all  of  which  were 
heard  the  overpowering  voices  of  Cuitldhuac  and  Cuahutemoc. 

That  night,  June  30,  on  which  Cortes  lost  his  best  officers, 
together  with  the  rich  treasure  he  had  gathered,  is  known  in 
history  by  the  name  of  "Noche  Triste,"  and  so  it  was  for  the 
Spaniards,  but  for  the  Mexicans  it  was  a  most  glorious  one. 
Cortfes  at  the  foot  of  a  tree  wept  bitterly  out  of  rage  and  grief, 
as  he  beheld  his  haughty  army  file  out  before  him,  a  wretched 
and  wrecked  remnant.  Cuitldhuac,  the  hero  of  this  heroic 
struggle  died  a  few  days  after,  a  victim  of  smallpox. 

The  Spaniards  fled  in  search  of  new  allies,  for  without  that 
help,  they  would  have  been  sacrificed  without  the  least  pity. 
Cortes  laid  siege  to  the  city  on  May  31,  and  after  95  days  of 
heroic  resistance.  Emperor  Cuahutemoc  fell  a  prisoner  into 
the  hands  of  his  enemies.  He  was  subjected  to  the  torture 
that  he  might  reveal  the  whereabouts  of  his  treasures,  and, 
later  on,  was  hanged  by  order  of  Cortes  without  justitica- 
tion.  With  the  death  of  Cuahutemoc  on  February  27,  1525, 
the  conquest  of  Mexico  was  finally  accomplished. 

Cortes,  now  lord  of  the  empire  of  Anahuac,  made  himself 
master  of  all  the  wealth,  and  committed  every  sort  of  hor- 
rible crimes,  and  the  King  of  Spain,  on  calling  him  to  account 


66  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

for  hi?  actions,  punished  him  with  contempt  and  denied  him 
all  protection.  His  friends  neglected  him,  and  he  died  in  the 
greatest  indigence,  full  of  disappointment  and  disgust  in  the 
year  1547. 

Cortes  was  the  conqueror  of  Mexico,  and,  despite  his  cruel- 
ties, he  loved  fondly  the  country  he  conquered,  brought  to  it 
European  civilization,  and,  with  it,  itsprogress  and  develop- 
ment. 

Cortes  and  Guahutemoc — (A  Dialogue.) 

(By  Don  Francisco  Montes  de  Oca.) 

Cortes. — This  fine  country,  full  of  beauties,  virgin  forests, 
limpid  streams,  splendid  skies  is  suffering  to-day  from 
the  horrors  of  war,  famine,  and  disease.  Yours  is  the 
duty  to  apply  the  remedy,, as  that  remedy  is  in  your 
hands,  and  thus  bring  back  to  it  its  old-time  peace  and 
happiness. 

Cuahutemoc. — It  is  true  that  the  Aztec  people  is  to-day  the 
prey  of  all  the  calamities  you  mention;  but  it  is  not  its 
fault.  Never  has  the  world  witnessed  a  more  formid- 
able and,  at  the  same  time  more  sublime  struggle,  but 
the  Aztec  people  never  takes  a  backward  step  in  the 
defense  of  its  homes;  the  struggle  it  is  keeping  up  is 
sacred;  it  is  resolved  to  suffer  any  hardship,  to  shed  its 

blood,  to  die  !     I  cannot  see  any  other  remedy  for 

this  cruel  situation!   

Cortes.— The  remedy  is  in  your  hand. 

Cuahutemoc. — In  my  hand?  What  is  it? 

Cortes. — Tell  your  people  to  receive  us  as  brothers. 

Cuahutemoc. — When  have  you  seen  the  children  of  the  forest 
receive  the  Jaguars  as  brothers?  You  are  an  insensate 
in  speaking  in  that  manner!  But,  no,  you  are  right. 
Montezuma  received  you  with  open  arms  and  welcomed 
you  with  the  most  generous  hospitality.  This  gave  us  a 
chance  to  learn  how  you  are  used  to  pay  Aztec  benevo- 
lence; with  theft,  outrage  of  our  homes,  and  murder. 
Are  you,  perchance,  imagining  that  we  are  going  to  imi- 
tate the  example  of  that  imbecile  and  cowardly  monarch? 

Cort6s. — Do  not  call  him  so.     He  was  a  good  king. 


ILLUSTRATED    EHSTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  67 

Cuahuteinoc. — So  have  I  said  it;  he  was  good  with  you  and 
yours  and  you  paid  him  badly. 

Cortes. — 1  always  treated  him  well. 

Cuahutemoc. — You  treat  him  well,  when  you  have  imprisoned 
him,  loaded  him  with  chains,  despised  and  finally  mur- 
dered him  when  he  could  no  longer  serve  you? 

Cortes. — No,  I  did  not  kill  him.     It  was  yourselves! 

Cuahutemoc. — if  we  had  killed  him  we  should  have  done  no 
more  than  an  act  of  justice,  and  the  nation  should  have 
the  conscience  of  having  performed  its  duty.  The  traitor, 
the  man  not  espousing  the  cause  of  his  countrymen,  the 
man  who  deserts  the  camp  of  his  nation,  and  joins 
stranger,  such  a  man  is  killed.  But  he  has  not  died  by 
the  blow  of  our  justice,  but  by  the  blow  of  those  who  re- 
ceived from  him  the  clearest  evidences  of  friendship  and 
consideration.  I  was  the  first  one  to  hurl  my  arrow  at 
him  and  jeer  at  him  deservedly.  He  was  an  imbecile, 
you  are  an  ungrateful,  wicked  wretch! 

Cortes. — You  are  growing  haughty  and  forget  that  I  have  the 
might,  and  can  destroy  you  in  an  instant. 

Cuahutemoc. — What  matters  it  if  you  have  the  might,  when 
we  have  the  right!  Within  our  breasts  a  heart  palpitates 
which  infuses  strength  into  our  veins  and  makes  our 
arms  powerful.  If  you  wish  to  fight,  come  on,  as  you  will 
always  find  us  at  our  posts. 

Cortes. — Put  a  stop  to  a  war  that  will  ruin  your  people. 

Cuahutemoc. — If  you  are  so  desirous  of  its  termination, 
begone,  depart  from  this  land,  and  leave  us  in  these 
places  which  the  sweat  and  patriotism  of  our  ancestors 
has  fertilized.  Vanish  away  on  those  cursed  waves  that 
cast  you  on  this  soil. 

Cortes. — I  cannot,  for  on  coming  hither  I  brought  along 
providential  designs. 

Cuahutemoc.  —  What,  then,  do  you  want? 

Cortes  — To  make  you  happy. 

Cuahutemoc. — We  were  so  before;  since  your  coming  w^ehave 
been  unfortunate!  But  enough  of  talking! 

Cortes.— Only  one  word:     Surrender! 

Cuahutemoc. — Death  first! 

Cortes. — I  shall  destroy  your  city  by  fire  and  blood! 


68  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Cuahutemoc. — And  I  shall  defend  it  until  buried  beneath  its 
wrecks. 

To  Cuahutemoc. 
'Tis  tit  in  honor  of  Cuahutemoc 
Here  to  relate  a  glorious  incident. 
The  valiant  chief,  when  in  his  prison  cell, 
Was  asked  by  Cortes  greedy  to  reveal 
The  hiding  place  of  his  imperial  wealth, 
Which  he  refused  unflinchingly  to  do, 
A  faithful  vassal  did  likewise  refuse. 
Wherefore  Cortes  the  cruel  order  gave 
That  both  be  placed  upon  a  torturing  fire 
Until  their  feet  were  roasted  by  the  coals. 
At  last  the  vassal  looked  sadly  up  and 
Exclaimed,  in  deep  despair,  "Let  me  reveal; 
The  racking  element  quite  overpowers 
Me."     But  firm  as  a  rock,  the  noble  prince, 
Reproving  him  with  a  disdainful  glance. 
Replied:     "^m  J  upon  a  couch  oj  flowers?'^ 
These  splendid  words  shall  ring  throughout  all  time 
And  last  while  shine  the  everlasting  stars? 

Jose  Parra  y  Alvarez. 
With  the  very  brief  accounts  which  the  reader  has  just 
read  about  the  discovery  of  America,  and  what  relates  to  the 
Mexican  Empire,  its  conquest,  and  the  sad  fate  of  Cuahu- 
temoc, its  last  emperor,  his  mind  will  be  better  prepared  for 
the  perusal  of  the  history  of  the  most  romantic  of  voyages — 
the  voyage  of  Alvar  Nunez  Cabeza  de  Vaca  in  the  following 
chapter. 

The  first  of  those  explorers  is  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  who  pic- 
tures to  us,  in  graphic  words,  the  incidents  of  Narvdez's  ill- 
fated  expedition,  and  his  own  providential  escape  with  his 
comrades.  What  we  say  here,  we  say  it  simply  by  way  of 
introduction  to  the  chapter  that  follows: 

The  story  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca  is  the  first  page,  so  to  speak, 
of  the  history  of  New  Mexico;  that  is,  what  is  today  New 
Mexico,  but  which  was  inhabited  all  over,  and  extended  far 
into  the  territory  which  makes  today  the  State  of  Chihuahua 
and  Sonora,  at  the  time  when  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  three 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  69 

companions  wandered  through  these  regions  (1528-1536).  The 
Author,  not  desiring  to  pass  as  the  critic  of  the  methods 
adopted  by  other  writers  in  what  regards  their  style  and 
manner  of  giving  their  own  deductions  respecting  what 
Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Niza,  Coronado.  Espejo,  Onate,  Otermin  and 
De  Vargas  said;  nor  yet,  with  any  intent  of  censuring  any  one 
of  them,  will  give  to  the  reader,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  for  him, 
and  without  adverse  commentaries,  the  self -same  words  of  the 
first  explorers,  missionaries  and  conquerors.  In  drawing  a 
distinction  between  "explorers,  missionaries  and  conquerors"' 
the  Author  means  that  he  places  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Coronado, 
Espejo  and  others,  whom  he  shall  hereafter  mention,  in  the 
category  of  mere  explorers;  contemplates  Fathers  Niza,  Ruiz 
and  other  Franciscans  and  Jesuits,  who  visited  the  country 
in  the  early  times  of  its  history,  as  true  missionaries;  while 
he  believes  Onate,  Otermin  and  De  Vargas,  as  the  only  ones 
who,  with  the  help  and  co-operation  of  the  Franciscans  and 
Jesuits,  should  be  considered  and  in  strict  rigor  called  the 
conquerors  of  New  Mexico.  All  the  historians  consulted  by 
the  Author  of  this  w^ork,  excepting  Professor  Bandelier,  who 
has  denied  the  fact  in  articles  published  in  the  New  Mexican 
of  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  and  in  other  writings,  agree  with 
the  Author's  belief,  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions 
traversed,  in  effect,  the  State  of  New  Mexico  in  the  southern 
part  or  through  the  Valley  of  the  Pecos  River.  With  this  brief 
statement  this  chapter  closes,  and  we  shall  take  up  in  the  next 
the  voyage  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca. 


CHAPTER  m. 

Account  given  by  Alvar  Nunez  Gabeza  de  Vaca  of  the  tragic  end  of  the 
Armada  of  Panfilo  de  Narvaez — A  graphic  Narrative  of  all  that 
happened  between  the  years  1528-1536  in  the  marvelous  journey 
from  coast  to  coast  by  Gabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  three  companions. 

The  mind  of  man  almost  refuses  to  believe  that  human 
nature  could  be  capable  of  performing  exploits  such  as  the 
Spaniards  performed  in  the  discovery,  conquest  and  pacifi- 
cation of  the  new  world. 

In  glancing  over  the  pages  of  history  the  admirable  exploits 
of  Julius  Cassar,  Alexander  the  Great,  Charlemagne,  and 
Gonzalo  de  Cordova,  among  many  others,  appear  most  strik- 
ingly before  our  vision;  and,  in  the  last  years  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  the  first  ones  of  the  nineteenth,  the  imposing 
and  majestic  figures  of  George  Washington,  San  Martin, 
Miranda,  O'Higgins,  Simon  Bolivar,  Hidalgo,  Morelos,  Al- 
lende,  Abasolo,  and  other  great  men,  stand  out  before  us  in 
bold  relief.  What  history,  tells  us  about  these  great  men 
borders  on  the  supernatural,  the  sublime.  But  the  exploits 
of  Cuahutemoc,  Cortes  and  his  captains;  the  Pizarros  and 
Almagro  eclipse  the  glories  of  their  predecessors  and  suc- 
cessors in  the  profession  of  arms.  Who  can  read  the  histor- 
ies of  the  conquest  of  Mexico  and  Peru  without  admiring 
Cortes  as  he  overcomes  the  powerful  Montezuma  and  Cua- 
hutemoc, his  successor  in  Mexico;  and  Almagro  and  the 
Pizarros  in  Peru  subduing  the  no  less  powerful  Incas  of 
South  America?  All  this  notwithstanding,  there  is  no  paral- 
lel in  the  annals  of  the  world  in  what  pertains  to  corporal 
suffering,  patience,  and  inconceivable  privations  to  the  trials 
of  Alvar  Nunez  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions. 

Alvar  Niiflez  Cabeza  de  Vaca  was  born  at  Jerez  de  la  Fron- 
tera  in  the  province  of  Cddiz,  but  the  date  of  his  birth  could 
never  be  ascertained.  He  was  a  branch  of  an  illustrious  origin, 
for  his  father,  Don  Francisco  de  Vera,  was  the  conqueror  of 
the  Canary  Islands  (148.3).  His  mother,  also  a  lady  from  a 
noble  progeny,  was   Madame  Teresa  Alhaja  Cabeza  de  Vaca, 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  71 

the  daui^hter  of  a  favored  descendant  of  Martin  Alhaja,  who 
received  the  surname  of  "Cabeza  de  Vaca'  by  order  of  the 
King  of  Navarre,  because,  on  one  celebrated  occasion,  Alhaja 
had  marked  out  with  the  horn  of  a  cow  a  path  for  the  army 
through  rugged  mountains  whereby  he  facilitated  the  defeat 
of  the  Moors  in  the  year  1212,  and  the  triumph  of  the  Spanish 
arms  at  the  battle  given  that  year  in  the  place  called  "Las 
Navas  de  Tolosa."  It  is  believed  that  Alvar  Nuilez  abandon- 
ed the  paternal  surname  in  order  to  perpetuate  the  surname 
"Cabeza  de  Vaca'"  given  by  the  king  to  his  far  off  maternal 
ancestor,  Don  Martin  Alhaja,  as  has  been  said. 

Narvaez  Sails.* 
In  the  year  1527,  the  seventeenth  day  of  June,  Panfilo  de 
Narvaez  set  sail  from  the  port  of  San  Lucas  de  Barrameda, 
Spain,  with  six  hundred  men,  including  soldiers  and  colo- 
nists, and  six  vessels  in  order  to  conquer  and  colonize  the 
river  of  Las  Palraas  and  la  Florida  in  conformity  with  what 
he  was  ordered  to  do  by  the  Royal  Schedule,  or  Decree.     It 

*A11  that  the  reader  has  read,  and  all  that  he  will  read  in  this  chap- 
ter, on  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  is  taken  from  Cabeza  de  Vaca's  own  works, 
*'Naufrag"ios  y  Comentarios,"'  republished  in  Madrid,  Spain,  by  Vic- 
toriano  Suarez,  in  the  year  of  190(3,  this  being  the  third  edition  pub- 
lished in  Spain,  the  first  edition  having  been  published  in  Valladolid, 
Spain,  by  Francisco  Ferndndez  de  Cordova,  in  the  year  1555,  in  one 
8  tvo.  vol.  of  143  pages.  The  second  edition  was  published  by  Don 
Andres  Gonzales  Barcia,  in  the  first  volume  of  his  work  entitled 
"Historiadores  primitivos  de  las  Indias  Occidentaleb."  This  edition 
was  reprinted  in  another  work  (by  the  same  author)  entitled  "Histo- 
riadores primitivos  de  Indias  de  la  Biblioteca  de  Autores  Espanoles" 
(vol.  XXIT..  pp.  ol7-5!>9).  From  these  publications  several  authors 
of  nearly  all  the  nations  of  the  world,  among  them  Mrs.  A.  F.  Ban- 
delier  and  her  husband,  Prof.  A.  F.  Bandelier,  Hodge  and  other 
writers  in  America  and  H.  Ternaux,  of  France,  and  others  in  Eu- 
rope have  published  writings  on  this  valuable  work.  The  said  edition 
from  which  I  have  written  this  chapter— the  aforesaid  Suarez  edition — 
is  contained  in  two  volumes,  said  two  volumes  being  vol.  V.  of  the 
series  of  works  now  being  pviblished  in  Spain  by  Sudrez  under  the 
title  "Coleccion  de  Libros  y  Doeumentos  Referentes  a  la  Historia  de 
America,""  which  I  obtained  direct  from  Spain,  through  the  co-opera- 
tion of  my  literary  agents  in  Madrid,  Messrs.  Antonio  Aragon  Mon- 
tejo  and  Lie.  Francisco  Sicilia.  together  with  all  the  other  official 
publications  of  the  "Kelaciones"  of  the  rest  of  the  explorers  and  con- 
querors of  New  Mexico.— The  Author. 


72  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

seemed  as  though  Narvaez  had  been  born  only  to  endure 
and  suffer  adversities  and  reverses  of  fortune  (considering 
the  fatal  outcome  of  his  expedition  against  Cortes,  in  Mex- 
ico, when  he  v^^as  routed  by  the  latter  at  Cempoala,  on  May 
27,  1520,  and  the  untow^ard  end  of  the  expedition  we  are  now 
considering)  bearing  up  in  this  last  expedition  during  the 
voyage,  against  tempests  and  hurricanes  which  wrecked  two 
of  his  vessels  with  the  loss  of  60  men  before  he  reached  the 
coasts  of  Florida  and  finally  weighing  anchor  on  April  14th, 
1528,  in  the  bay  of  Tampa,  on  the  coasts  of  Florida  with 
only  300  men,  having  lost  the  rest — some  in  the  hurricane 
just  alluded  to — and  the  others  deserting  from  him  in  the 
Island  of  Santo  Domingo. 

From  the  bay  they  made  their  way  inland  towards  the 
North.  Among  those  that  made  up  the  expedition  were 
Alvar  Nunez  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Andres  Dorantes  de  Carranza, 
a  natural  from  Bejar  del  Castanos,  province  of  Extrama- 
dura,  Captain  Alonzo  del  Castillo  Maldonado,  of  Salamanca, 
and  a  slave  of  Dorantes,  named  Estevan,  or  Estevanico,  a 
negro,  whom  Dorantes  had  brought  from  Azamor,  on  the 
Western  Coast  of  Morroco.  For  several  days  they  always 
journeyed  northward,  among  tribes  of  warlike  Indians  who 
frequently  worried  them,  threatening  them  with  hostile 
demonstrations.  On  the  other  hand,  they  were  pressed  by 
hunger,  disease,  and  the  differences  and  quarrels  among 
themselves  on  account  of  the  little  or  no  discretion  of  Nar- 
vaez. That  sad  plight  obliged  Narvdez  to  seek  the  means 
of  returning  to  Spain.  As  the  vessels  he  had  brought  from 
Spain  had  already  gone  back,  he  had  no  recourse  left  but 
that  of  building  small  barks  from  the  elm  trees  that  were 
found  inthe  forests  near  the  sea.  After  innumerable  troubles, 
they  were  able  to  construct  five  floats  made  of  elm  wood, 
deerskins  and  nails  which  they  made  from  the  metal  of  their 
stirrups  and  spurs.  In  such  boats  did  they  embark  on  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  at  last  arrived  at  Pensacola  Bay,  only 
to  be  almost  all  wrecked  in  the  waters  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
When  the  five  floats  had  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river,  the 
power  of  the  streams  aided  by  a  violent  hurricane  hurled  the 
floats  far  into  the  sea  keeping  them  apart  for  four  days,  with 
serious  danger  to  the  crews.     All  the  floats  sank,  excepting 


[LLUSTUATr<:D    niSTORV   OF    NEW    MKXFCO.  78 

the  one  occupied  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  and 
another  occupied  by  a  few  more.  This  was  cast  ashore  on  tlie 
6th  of  November,  1528,  on  a  small  island  off  the  coast  of 
Texas,  inhabited  by  savage  Indians.  Another  of  the  floats 
was  also  cast  ashore,  sometime  after,  in  the  same  place  as 
Cabeza  de  Vaca's;  so  that,  in  a  sudden,  as  it  were,  eighty 
Spaniards  met  together  with  Dorantes  among  them. 

They  remained  on  the  small  island,  which  they  named 
■"Isla  del  Infortunio"  (Island  of  Misfortune)  until  the  winter 
was  very  far  advanced,  and,  as  they  were  so  disprovided  of 
victuals  and  dress,  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  engen- 
dered diseases  from  whose  effects  only  fifteen  survived.  At 
the  sight  of  their  desperate  situation,  they  resolved  on 
separating.  Dorantes  and  his  slave  were  made  slaves  by  the 
Indians  and  taken  to  the  mainland,  whither  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
also  followed  them,  being  already  tired  of  living  on  roots,  by 
selling  shells  and  other  trinkets  to  the  Indians  in  the  role  of 
a  merchant.  At  last,  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Dorantes,  Maldonado, 
and  Sstevanico  were  able  to  get  together,  after  several  years 
of  wandering  in  captivity  from  tribe  to  tribe,  and  were  also 
able  to  effect  their  escape  through  flight,  and  by  undertak- 
ing their  famous  journey  across  the  continent  which  lasted 
one  year,  or  to  the  25th  of  July,  1536,  the  day  they  reached 
the  City  of  Mexico.  The  reader  must  consider  what  the 
Author  has  said  heretofore  as  a  mere  introduction  to  the 
vivid  description  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  himself  gives  us  of 
the  expedition  and  journey.  We  therefore,  proceed  to 
reproduce  a  summary  of  the  interesting  narrative  leaving  out 
all  details  of  little  or  no  importance. 

Account  of  the  Journey. 

After  resting  for  a  good  while  in  Mexico,  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
set  sail  for  Spain,  presenting  to  the  king  on  his  arrival,  the 
interesting  narrative  in  1537,  which  begins  with  a  poem  in 
which  he  modestly  assures  his  Majesty  that  the  narrative 
must  not  be  considered  a  thing  of  little  importance  "by  those 
•who  in  your  nam'i  may  go  to  subdue  those  lands  and  to 
convert  its  inhabitants  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  faith  and 
the  true  God  and  place  them  under  the  imperial  dominion.'" 
The  first  chapters  of  the  narrative  are  omitted  because  they 


<-i  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

treat  of  the  events  that  happened  from  June  17,  1527,  on  which 
day  Narvaez  set  sail  from  the  Port  of  San  Liicas  de  Barrameda , 
to  thelithof  April,  1528,  the  day  on  which  the  expedition 
laid  anchor  on  the  coasts  of  Florida;  of  which  events  and 
incidents  a  more  or  less  detailed  account  has  already  been 
given  the  reader  in  the  preceding  paragraphs  of  this  chapter, 
and  we  shall  only  follow  up  the  narrative  commencing  on  the 
day  on  which  Narvaez  undertook  his  march  inland  with  his 
men  on  April  15,  1528. 

The  next  day  (15)  the  governor  (Narvaez)  made  up  his  mind 
to  explore  those  lands  in  order  to  see  what  might  have  been 
therein.  With  him  went  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  the  assessor  and 
forty  more  men,  among  them  six  on  horseback.  They  traveled 
all  the  day  stopping  for  the  night  near  a  large  bay  which 
seemed  to  extend  into  the  interior  or  the  inland.  The  next 
day  they  returned  to  the  coast.  Governor  Narvaez  then  sent 
a  bark  in  search  of  the  port  which  Miruelo,  the  pilot,  said  he 
knew  and  with  orders,  also,  that,  if  it  were  not  found,  to 
continue  the  voyage  towards  Havana  in  search  of  the  vessel 
which  Captain  Alvaro  de  la  Cerda  was  bringing  in  with 
provisions,  and  to  bring  it  to  Florida.  Narvaez  and  many  of 
his  men  again  explored  the  land  contiguous  to  the  coast;  they 
traveled  about  four  miles  where  they  met  with  four  Indians 
and  gave  them  some  corn  to  see  if  they  knew  what  was  given 
them;  but  the  Indians  knew  the  corn  well,  and  leading  the 
Spaniards  into  the  inland,  carried  them  to  a  place  where  the 
tribe  was  camped  and  showed  them  many  corn  fields.  In  the 
same  manner  the  Spaniards  saw  that  the  Indians  had  many 
things  indicating  that  some  civilized  peoples  must  have 
previously  been  in  those  lands.  Among  those  things  there 
were  remnants  of  woolen  and  linen  goods  which  the  Indians 
said  they  had  obtained  in  a  distant  province,  very  far  in  the 
interior  which  was  called  Apalaches. 

From  that  point  the  Spaniards  continued  their  journey 
carrying  along  always  some  Indians  as  guides  until  they 
encountered  a  village  composed  of  15  houses  and  saw  also 
fields  of  corn  already  ripe.  The  Spaniards  stayed  two  days 
on  that  spot  returning  thence  to  the  coast  where  they 
remained  until  May  tirst,  a  day  on  which  after  a  consultation 
between  Narvaez,  Cabeza  de  Vava,   Bartolome  Fernandez, 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  75 

Jer6nimo  Alariez  and  others,  Narvaez  resolved  to  abandon  the 
ships  and  continue  his  expedition  by  land;  all  of  which  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  opposed,  because  they  were  all  disprovided  of 
everything  necessary  for  such  an  enterprise. 

On  the  following  day  Narvdez  gave  the  order  to  march  in- 
land giving  each  one  of  the  300  men  that  accompanied  him  two 
pounds  of  bread  and  one  pound  of  bacon.  Of  the  total  num- 
ber of  men  40  were  mounted.  With  so  small  a  ration  they 
traveled  15  days  without  meeting  with  anything,  not  even 
Indians.  They  continued  their  journey  until  they  came  to 
a  rather  large  river  and  upon  its  banks  beheld  a  town  of  In- 
dians from  whom  they  obtained  corn  in  sufficient  supply  to 
appease  the  hunger  that  was  devouring  them.  From  here, 
at  the  suggestion  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Narvdez  sent  Cabeza  de 
Vaca,  with  Captain  Alonzo  del  Castillo  and  40  men,  in  search 
of  a  sea  port  which,  the  Indians  told  them,  was  near.  They 
returned  disheartened  because  of  not  having  been  able  to 
cross  the  river,  and  Narvdez  sent  another  party  of  60  men 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Valenzuela,  with  instructions 
to  follow  the  course  of  the  stream  to  its  mouth  and  see  if  he 
could  find  the  seaport.  Valenzuela  found  the  port  but  report- 
ed that  it  was  not  of  sufficient  depth  to  allow  the  anchorage  of 
vessels  of  ordinary  size;  that,  yet  he  had  seen  five  or  six 
canoes  with  Indians  who  crossed  from  coast  to  coast,  their 
heads  bedecked  in  very  showy  feathers.  The  report  of  Valen- 
zuela greatly  dejected  all  the  Spaniards  with  the  exception  of 
Narvaez,who  wishing, perhaps,  to  duplicate  the  blow  given  by 
Cortes  to  the  malcontents  of  his  troops  when  he  sunk  his  ves- 
sels in  the  port  of  Vera  Cruz,  imagined  he  was  to  find  another 
empire  like  the  Mexican,  and  make  its  conquest  with  less  men 
and  with  an  absolute  lack  of  food  and  war  provisions,  being 
thus  enabled  to  eclipse  the  glory  acquired  by  Cortes  and 
avenge  the  ignominious  defeat  which  Cortes  had  made  him 
suffer  in  Mexico.  But  Divine  Providence  had  made  Cortes  a 
real  genius,  and  had  predestined  him,  as  an  instrument,  to  en- 
compass the  christianization  of  the  great  empire  of  the  most 
powerful  of  Indian  rulers  in  the  American  Continent;  while 
he,  Narvaez,  had  not  been  formed  for  the  realization  of  great 
things,  and  only  his  inmoderate  ambition,  and  unmeasured 
envy    towards   the   real  heroes   made  him    believe  himself 


76  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

capable  of  greater  exploits.  He  was  a  poor  deluded  dreamer 
incapable  of  commanding  a  mere  squad  of  soldiers,  much  less 
expeditions  worthy  only  of  great  generals.  The  wretched 
end  of  the  expedition  about  which  we  are  here  speaking  was 
the  result  of  Narvaez  incompetence,  as  he  himself  gave  proof 
of,  when  all  his  men  with  the  approval  of  CabezadeVaca,  after 
hearing  the  account  of  Valenzuela,  urged  him  to  return  to 
the  coast,  but  he  (Narvaez),  his  soul  puffed  up  with  vanity, 
disregarded  the  entreaties  and  suggestions,  of  his  comrades 
and  undertook,  despite  the  report  of  Valenzuela  his  march 
towards  the  land  and  towns  of  the  Apalache  Indian  tribe. 

After  traveling  for  several  days  without  seeing  Indians,  or 
anything  else  of  any  importance,  they  met  on  June  17th  with 
a  party  of  Indians  who  carried  their  chief  on  their  shoulders 
profusely  adorned  with  most  splendid  feathers,  and  skins 
richly  painted  and  trimmed.  The  crowd  was  accompanied  by 
several  Indians  playing  on  reed  flutes.  The  Spaniards  were 
much  pleased  with  the  coming  of  the  Indian  chief,  who,  after 
a  long  consultation  with  Narvaez,  by  means  of  signs,  informed 
the  Spaniards  that  he  was  at  war  with  the  Apaches,  and  that 
he  would  gladly  accompany  them  to  go  and  tight  against  them. 
Narvaez  gave  presents  of  glass  beads  to  the  Indian  chief,  and 
the  latter  returned  the  courtesy  by  giving  Narvaez  as  a 
present  the  deer  skin  with  which  he  covered  himself.  At  the 
end  of  the  interviews  Narvaez  continued  his  march  camping, 
at  the  end  of  the  days  travel,  by  tiie  bank  of  a  very  large 
river,  in  order  to  cross  which  they  had  to  build  floats.  One 
from  among  the  troops,  Juan  Veldsquez,  attempted  to  cross 
the  river  on  horseback,  and  was  drowned  together  with  the 
horse,  an  occurrence  that  distressed  the  Spaniards  very 
much,  as  it  was  the  first  death  in  the  expedition  to  the  main 
land,  and  because  too,  Velasquez  was  one  of  the  most  intrepid 
soldiers  in  the  expedition.  They  recovered  the  corpse  and  the 
horse  and  with  the  horse's  flesh  they  supped  that  night  as 
they  were  already  very  hungry. 

The  next  day  they  arrived  at  the  village  of  the  Indian  chief 
above  mentioned,  who,  together  with  his  people  fled,  though 
following  the  Spaniards  from  behind  and  making  warlike 
demonstrations.  Thereupon  Narvaez  ordered  the  cavalry  to 
fall  upon  them.     That  was  done  without  the  Indians  making 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  77 

front  to  resist  the  onset;  but  they  ran  away  tleeino:  and  leaving 
four  of  tlieir  number,  who  were  captured  and  obHged  to  go 
with  the  Spaniards  as  guides  on  the  journey.  On  June  "inth 
they  reached  the  land  of  the  Apaches,  where  they  found 
abundance  of  corn  and  venison,  but  there  were  no  male 
Indians,  and  the  forty  dwellings  in  the  village  were  occupied 
by  the  Indian  women  and  children. 

Capture  of  the  Village  and    What  Was  Seen  In  It. 

Cabeza  de  Vaca  with  fifty  mounted  men,  and  accompanied 
by  the  Inspector,  Alonzo  de  Solis,  in  obedience  to  superior 
orders,  assaulted  the  village,  but  the  natives  made  no  strong 
opposition,  contenting  themselves  with  shooting  a  few  arrows 
at  the  Spaniards  without  inflicting  any  greater  damage  than 
the  killing  of  a  horse,  the  horse  of  Sclis,  and  then  abandoned 
the  village  with  their  wives  and  little  ones.  They  returned 
next  day  requesting  permission  to  carry  away  their  families. 
The  request  was  granted  by  Governor  Narvdez,  who  in 
imitation  of  Cortes,  caused  the  Indian  chief  to  remain  as  his 
prisoner,  a  thing  not  at  all  pleasing  to  the  Indians,  for  the 
next  day  they  appeared,  in  great  numbers,  and  attacked  the 
Spaniards,  loosing,  in  the  encounter,  an  Indian  killed  by  the 
Spaniards.  The  battle  did  not  last  long,  as  the  Indians  soon 
fled  but  only  to  return,  a  few  hours  after,  to  renew  the  assault 
with  the  loss  of  another  Indian  killed  also  by  the  Spaniards. 
After  this  defeat  the  Indians  did  not  again  molest  the  Span- 
iards who  remained  camping  in  the  village  for  25  days.  At 
the  end  of  this  time  they  resumed  their  inland  march,  taking 
along  with  them  the  Indian  chief  and  a  few  of  his  people  who 
served  as  guides,  and  from  whom  they  received  the  informa- 
tion that  there  was  very  far  in  the  interior  a  village  called 
Ante  in  which  there  was  a  great  abundance  of  corn,  beans 
and  other  vegetables.  All  along  the  way  the  Indians  did 
not  fail  to  harass  the  Spaniards,  Before  getting  to  the 
village  of  Aute  the  Spaniards  saw  two  very  large  lakes  and  a 
very  large  river,  and  had  several  combats  with  the  Indians 
with  the  loss  of  one  Spaniard  and  several  wounded,  among 
them,  Cabeza  de  Vaca.  At  Aute  they  met  with  no  resistance, 
the  Indians  having  abandoned  the  place  beforehand;  but  they 
did  find   much  corn,  beans  and  other  eatables.     From   Aute 


78  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Narvdez  sent  Cabeza  de  Vaca  with  some  soldiers  in  search  of 
the  coast  so  as  to  be  able  to  get  out  of  the  lands  of  the  [ndians. 
Cabeza  de  Vaca  could  not  find  the  way  to  the  coast  as  a  very 
large  and  deep  river,  which  they  could  not  ford,  did  not  allow 
that;  and  on  his  return  to  Aute,  he  found  Narvdez  and  his 
comrades  sick  and  discouraged  at  the  many  things  they  had 
suffered,  and  without  any  hopes  of  ever  realizing  the  dreamed 
of  ideals  of  Narvdez. 

The  Spaniards  Leave  Aute. 

On  August  3rd,  1528,  the  Spaniards  abandoned  the  village  of 
Aute  starting  on  their  march  to  the  sea  coast,  amid  thousands 
of  sacrifices  and  uncountable  sufferings.  The  number  of  the 
sick  increased  more  and  more  from  day  to  day,  and  the 
troubles  and  worries  were  becoming  unbearable,  by  reason 
of  hunger,  the  dangers  they  often  saw  themselves  exposed  to 
on  account  of  the  attacks  of  the  Indians,  and  above  all,  through 
the  lack  of  sufficient  horses  for  the  transportation  of  the  sick. 
Despite  their  distressing  situation,  the  Spaniards  never  gave 
away  to  despair,  neither  did  they  weaken  in  the  least  in  the 
firmness,  of  their  faith  in  God.  Animated  by  that  faith  they 
traveled  fearlessly  struggling  at  the  same  time  with  hunger, 
the  savages,  the  decease.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  traitors 
were  not  wanting,  among  the  cavalry  troop,  who  secretly 
planned  their  flight  with  the  horses  leaving  the  sick  and 
other  comrades  to  perish  from  hunger  and  at  the  hands  of 
the  savages.  Owing  to  the  vigilance  of  Cabezade  Vaca  the  con- 
spiracy was  discovered,  and  the  consummation  of  a  most  hor- 
rible crime  was  avoided.  The  rebellious  were  again  pacified, 
and  Governor  Narvdez,  realizing  that  the  conspiracy  might 
again  take  root  in  the  hearts  of  the  malcontents,  condescend- 
ed to  give  them  a  proof  of  his  sincerity  and  of  the  great  con- 
fidence he  reposed  in  them.  He  summoned  them  together 
with  the  other  Spaniards  to  discuss  the  best  step  that  could 
be  taken  to  get  out  of  the  strained  and  very  painful  situation 
they  were  in.  All  at  last  agreed  that  the  only  recourse  left 
them  was  to  construct  floats  and  then  try  to  reach  the  Gulf 
by  rowing.  But  as  they  had  neither  tools,  nor  any  of  the 
other  materials  necessary  for  the  construction  of  the  floats, 
nor  the  provisions  needed  to  feed  those  whowould  he  employ- 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  79 

ed  in  constructint?  them,  the  reaUzation  of  the  project  seemed 
impossible.  But  the  genius  of  man  can  make  incredible 
things  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity.  They  determined  to 
construct  the  tive  floats  or  barks  mentioned  at  the  beginning 
of  this  chapter. 

In  order  to  subsist  while  the  work  lasted,  a  horse  was 
ordered  to  be  killed  every  third  day,  and  also  that  a  squad  of 
horsemen  should  go  every  day  to  the  village  of  Aute  after 
corn,  a  thing  which  the  Indians,  sometimes  willingly,  and 
most  times  reluctantly,  furnished  them  with,  in  order  thus 
to  accelerate  their  departure.  Finally,  on  the  22  of  Septem- 
ber, after  having  lost  40  men,  some  killed  by  disease,  and 
others  by  wounds  received  in  engagements  with  the  Indians, 
and  when  they  had  only  their  last  horse  left,  they -were  able 
to  embark  in  their  fragile  barks,  having  first  killed  the  horse 
that  remamed  in  order  to  feed  themselves  with  its  meat; 
and  from  the  skin  they  made  gourds  in  order  to  carry 
drinkable  water.  To  the  place  from  which  they  embarked 
they  gave  the  name  of  "Bahia  de  los  Caballos."  Before  they 
reached  the  Gulf  the  water  gave  out  and  they  were  compell- 
ed to  drink  salt  water,  three  Spaniards  dying  therefrom. 
They  also  landed  again  after  sailing  six  days,  but  the  Indians 
attacked  them  killing  two  and  wounding  the  Governor,  Nar- 
vdez.  The  5th  of  November  (1528)  was  the  day  they  reached 
the  Gulf  and  were  separated  by  the  angrj'^  sea  and  violent 
hurricane  of  which  wehave  spoken,  with  the  mentioned  result. 
Now,  omitting  what  the  reader  already  knows  about  the  cap- 
tivity of  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  among  the  sav- 
age Indians,  for  six  years,  we  shall  give,  what  remains  for  us 
to  say  about  the  end  of  that  memorable  expedition,  in  the 
very  same  words  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca.  It  must  be  observed 
that  the  four  adventurers,  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Andres  Dorantes, 
Alonzo  del  Castillo,  and  the  negro  Estevanico,  remained  at 
that  time  in  captivity,  separated  from  each  other,  and  unable 
to  see  one  another,  and  that  they  were  reunited  only,  through 
mere  chance,  about  a  year  before  their  flight,  which  was  when 
they  concerted  their  plan  of  escape. 


80  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

The  Spaniards  Driven  to   the   Extreme  of  Eating  Their  Own  Flesh, 

Before  proceeding  to  narrate  the  journey  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
and  his  companions  it  is  proper  to  inform  the  reader  of  the 
tragical  end  of  seven  Spaniards  of  those  who  had  survived  the 
ill  fated  expedition  after  the  rest  had  perished  (in  this  number 
Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  three  companions  are  not  included) 
and  the  extremes  hunger  drove  them  to.  In  the  Island  of 
Malhado,  camping  on  the  coast,  were  five,  Sierra,  Diego 
Lopez,  Corrdl,  Palacios  and  Gonzalo  Ruzy.  These  five  were  of 
the  last  of  those  who  remained  in  that  place  because  of  lack  of 
food,  the  rest  finally  succumbing  to  death  by  starvation,  and 
they  became  crazy  with  hunger  and  turned  into  cannibals  by 
eating  their  dead  companions  until  there  was  only  one  left, 
"because  there  was  no  one  to  eat  him,"  as  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
says.*  The  other  two  were  Sotomayor  and  Esquive!.  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  states  that  these  two  were  the  only  survivors  of 
another  remnant  of  the  expedition  who  had  i-emained  in 
another  part  of  that  same  coast,  and  who  also  had  been  driven 
to  the  extreme  of  eating  one  another;  that  of  the  flesh  of  the 
dead  companion  they  would  make  jerked  meat,  and  fourteen 
of  them  died  and  were  so  eaten  from  November  to  March,  and 
that  finally  there  were  only  two  left,  Sotomayor  and  Esquivel; 
that  when  Sotomayor  died,  Esquivel  made  jerked  meat  of  his 
flesh,  and  was  able  to  live  on  his  companion's  flesh  until  the 
month  of  March  when  an  Indian  found  him  and  took  him  to 
his  tribe,  t 

Having  given  the  reader  the  details  of  the  shocking  situation 
these  truly  wonderful  men  had  to  face,  the  parallel  of  which  is 
not  to  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  world,  we  shall  proceed  to 
contemplate  the  most  daring  of  all  known  overland  journeys, 
a  journey  which  surpasses  in  daring  and  romance  even  the 
travels  of  Marco  Polo. 

*  "Y  cinco  Christianos  que  estavan  en  rancho  en  la  costa  llegaron 
a  tal  extreme  que  se  comieron  los  unos  a  los  otros  hasta  que  quedo  uno 
solo,  que  per  ser  solo  no  huvo  quien  se  lo  comiese.  Los  nombres  del 
los  son  estos:  Sierra,  Diego  L6pez,  Corral,  Palacios,  Gonzalo 
Ruyz."— Naufragios,  52. 

t  "Y  los  que  morian,  los  otros  los  hazian  tasajos,  y  el  ultimo  que 
murio  fue  Sotomayor,  y  Esquivel  lo  hizo  tasajos,  y  comiendo  del  se 
raantuvo  hasta  primero  de  Marzo,  que  un  Indio  delos  que  a  alii  avian 
huyido  vino  a  ver  si  eran  muertos  y  llevo  a  Esquivel  consigo.'"  — 
Naufragios,  67. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MKXICO.  81 

Life  of  Gabeza  de    Vaca  and  His   Companions  Among   the  Savages. 

After  getting  usea  to  the  life  of  the  Indians,  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  embraced  the  occupation  of  merchant,  and,  so,  was  able 
to  go  from  tribe  to  tribe,  as  he  says  it,  in  his  narrative 
published  willi  the  title  of  "LosNaufragios."  "And  now  with 
my  deals  and  merchandise  I  used  to  enter  into  the  inland  all 
I  wanted  to,  and  all  along  the  coast  I  wandered  about  for  over 
40  to  oO  leagues. ■■ 

In  that  way  he  could  penetrate  very  far  into  the  interior  of 
the  country,  seeing,  as  he  tells  us,  in  one  of  his  visits  for  the 
first  time,  buffalo  cows  about  which  he  says:  "They  catch 
cows  here,  and  I  have  seen  them,  and  eaten  thrice  of  them, 
and  they  appear  to  me  to  be  of  the  same  size  as  those  of  Spain ; 
they  have  short  horns,  as  the  Moorish  ones,  their  hair  quite 
large,  merino  kind,  like  a  cloak;  some  are  grayish  and  others 
black,  and  in  my  opinion,  they  have  better  and  thicker  meat 
than  the  ones  here.  From  those  that  are  not  large  the  Indians 
make  sacks  to  cover  themselves,  and  from  the  best  ones  they 
make  shoes  and  shields;  these  come  by  way  of  the  North 
through  the  interior,  down  to  the  coast  of  Florida,  and  are 
scattered  over  all  the  land  for  more  than  400  leagues;  and,  all 
along  this  road  through  the  valley  by  which  they  come,  people 
who  live  there  come  down  and  get  their  maintenance  from 
them,  and  import  into  the  land  large  quantities  of  hides.'" 

The  merchandise  sold  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  to  the  Indians 
were  things  which  cost  him  only  the  work  of  gathering  them. 

"My  chief  deal  was  in  periwinkles,  their  center  pieces, 
and  shells  with  which  they  cut  a  sort  of  fruit  which  is  like 
french  beans  and  with  which  they  cure  themselves  and  make 
their  dances  and  feast,  and  this  is  the  thing  that  commands 
higher  price  among  them,  and  sea  beads  and  others  things. 
So  then,  this  was  what  I  carried  into  the  land  of  the  interior; 
and  in  exchange  and  barter  for  them  received  skins  and 
red  ochre  with  which  they  rub  and  color  their  hair  and  faces; 
tiint  rock  to  make  arrow  points,  paste  and  hard  reeds  to  make 
them,  and  certain  tassels  made  of  deer-hair  which  they  color 
and  change  into  red." 

To  his  good  luck  as  a  merchant,  fortune  vouchsafed  to  add 
that  of  his  acquaintance  with  hygienic  laws.     Availing  him- 


82  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

self  of  every  possible  opportunity  to  capture  the  kindness  of 
the  savages  he  employed  all  the  advantages  of  his  education 
and  experience  in  order  to  do  many  things  vphich  to  the  In- 
dians were  nothing  less  than  miracles.  The  superstition 
which  had  taken  hold  of  the  Indians  respecting  the  super- 
natural power  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  possessed,  according 
to  them,  reached  its  climax  when  they  told  him  that  he  and  his 
companions  could  cure  all  the  diseases  (here  the  Spaniards 
were  already  together),  for  now  and  then,  the  different 
tribes,  with  which  they  dwelt,  were  wont  to  meet,  and  it 
was  on  this  occasion  that  they  were  able  to  begin  to  concert 
plans  for  their  escape.  Cabeza  de  Vaca  relates  to  us  how  he 
and  his  companions  came  to  exercise  the  science  of  medicine 
in  the  following  terms: 

"In  the  island  about  which  i  have  spoken  they  wanted  to 
make  us  physicians  without  examining  us  or  asking  for  our 
credentials,  because  they  cure  disease  by  breathing  on  the 
sick  person,  with  that  breath  and  the  hands  they  expel  the 
disease  from  the  patient;  and  they  commanded  us  to  do  the 
same  and  to  beof  some  service;  we  laughed  at  it,  and  told  them 
that  was  a  joke,  for  we  could  not  cure,  and  for  this  reason 
they  would  take  our  meals  from  us,  till  we  did  what  they  told 
us.  And  seeing  our  resistance,  an  Indian  told  me  that  I  did 
not  know  what  I  said  in  saying  that,  what  he  knev^^  would 
avail  nothing,  because  the  rocks  and  other  things  that  grow 
on  the  fields  have  virtue;  and  that  he  with  a  hot  stone  carry- 
ing it  on  the  stomach,  healed  and  took  the  pain  away,  and 
that  we  who  were  men,  it  was  certain,  possessed  higher  vir- 
tue and  power.  And  as  at  the  time  we  were  here  so  many  of 
their  people  died,  there  was  a  very  great  famine  in  the 
houses  on  account  also  of  their  observance  of  their  customs 
and  ceremonies;  and  those  who  looked  for  it,  no  matter  how 
much  they  worked,  could  obtain  but  very  little  owing  to  the 
hardness  of  the  time;  and  for  this  reason  the  Indians  who  held 
me  went  out  of  the  Island,  and  in  some  canoes  crossed  over  to 
the  mainland,  to  certain  bays  where  there  were  many  oysters, 
and  during  three  months  of  the  year  they  eat  nothing  else 

and  drink  very  bad  water And  so  we  staid  until  the  end 

of  April,  when  we  went  to  the  sea  coast  where  we  ate  straw- 
berries the  whole  month.'"      The  circumstance  of  making 


ILLUSTRATED    HlSTOIiY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  83 

cures  to  the  Indians  looked  like  a  providential  design  for  on 
account  of  the  cures  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  performed 
daily,  the  Indians  of  all  the  tribes  showered  on  him  so 
many  attentions  that  they  allowed  him  to  pass  freely 
from  tribe  to  tribe,  a  privilege  of  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
readily  availed  himself  to  join  with  the  other  Spaniards  and 
the  negro  Estevanico,  especially  so  on  the  occasions  when 
the  different  tribes  used  to  assemble  at  the  places  where 
prickly  pears  abounded  in  order  to  have  their  dances  and  eat 
pears  and  continue  thus  to  secretly  mature  their  plan  of 
escape,  all  of  which  he  did  with  admirable  discretion  and  skill, 
and  of  which  he  gives  us  an  account  in  these  words: 

"And  for  this  reason  I  determined  to  go  over  to  the  others, 
and  with  them  I  had  better  luck;  for,  as  I  had  become  a 
merchant  I  tried  to  make  the  best  I  could  of  the  occupation, 
and  for  this  reason  they  fed  me  and  treated  me  well,  and 
entreated  me  to  go  from  place  to  place  for  things  they  wanted ; 
for,  by  reason  of  their  continued  warfare,  one  cannot  travel 

nor  trade And  this  occupation  suited  me  well,  because 

by  practising  it  I  had  liberty  to  go  wherever  I  pleased,  and 
was  not  obliged  to  do  anything,  and  was  no  slave,  and  where 
ever  I  went  they  gave  me  good  treatment  and  fed  me  on 
account  of  my  merchandise,  and  most  chiefly  because  by 
going  around  in  it,  and  looking  ahead  as  to  how  I  should  leave; 
and  among  them  I  was  very  well  known;  they  were  very  glad 
when  they  saw  me,  and  brought  them  what  they  needed,  and 
those  who  knew  me  not  sought  me  and  wished  to  see  me  on 
account  of  m}^  fame.'" 

As  the  Spaniards  were  already  agreed  as  to  availing  them- 
selves of  every  opportunity  for  getting  together  and  attempt- 
ing their  flight,  all  of  them  were  always  on  the  alert;  and  as 
each  and  all  knew  well  the  whereabouts  of  the  others,  Cabeza 
de  Vaca,  was  able,  without  much  difficulty,  when  he  thought 
the  opportune  moment  had  arrived  to  take  the  dangerous 
step,  to  consult  with  Dorantes  and  Estevanico  during  the 
month  of  August,  so  that  finding  himself,  at  that  season,  quite 
near  the  nation  where  Uorantes  and  Estevanico  were  staying, 
the  later  came  to  him  and  communicated  to  him  their  plans  to 
commence  the  flight,  as  Cabeza  de  Vaca  tells  us  in  his 
narrative: 


84  ILLUSTRATED   HISTOUY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

"And  on  the  13th  day  of  the  month,  Dorantes  and  Esteva- 
nico  arrived  at  where  I  was,  and  told  me  how  they  had  left 
Castillo  with  other  Indians  that  were  called  Anazados,  and 
that  they  were  near  there,  and  that  they  had  much  trouble, 
and  that  they  had  been  lost,  and  that  in  another  day  ahead  our 
Indians  moved  to  where  Castillo  was,  and  were  going  to  unite 
with  those  who  held  him,  and  become  friends  the  ones  with 
the  others,  because  so  far  they  had  had  war,  and  in  this 
manner  we  recovered  Castillo."' 

Cabeza  de  Vaca  accompanied  Dorantes  and  Estevanico  to 
the  place  in  which  Castillo  was  with  the  Indians.  The  descrip- 
tion of  those  Indians  is  given  us  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  thus: 

"These  have  another  tongue  and  are  called  Avavares,  and 
are  those  who  used  to  carry  the  bows  to  ours,  and  went  to 
trade  with  them:  and  although  they  are  of  another  nation  and 
tongue,  they  understand  the  language  of  those  with  whom  we 
were  before,  anr^  they  had  arrived  there  on  that  same  day 
with  their  tents." 

It  was  in  this  place  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions 
formally  made  up  their  minds  to  carry  into  effect  their  daring 
project. 

Escape  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  His  Companions. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  August,  1535,  when  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  and  his  companions  escaped,  and  commenced  the  most 
celebrated  pilgrimage  recorded  in  history,  a  pilgrimage 
which  served  to  immortalize  the  names  of  those  four  human 
beings,  who,  by  their  daring  and  intrepidity  left,  on  the  pages 
of  the  history  of  the  New  World,  written  and  imperishable 
proofs  of  a  peerless  courage,  which  heightened  by  their 
unconquerable  faith  in  Divine  Providence,  enabled  them  to 
emerge  safely  from  so  many  dangers  and  sufferings.  Com- 
mending themselves  to  the  protection  of  God,  they  undertook 
their  wonderful  march  in  the  month  of  August,  1535,  running 
at  full  speed,  but  with  great  fears  of  being  observed  and 
captured  by  the  Indians. 

At  sundown  they  arrived  at  an  Indian  camp,  led  by  four 
Indians,  who  had  been  sent  beforehand  to  meet  them,  as  tne 
Indians  of  that  camp,  who  belonged  to  the  nation  of  the  "Chava- 
vares,''had  already  heard  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  compan- 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  85 

ions  were  coming  in  that  direction, and  that  tliey  made  cures  of 
great  merit,  and  were  therefore  received  with  manifestations 
of  joy.  "At  once,"'  says  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  "the  people  offered  us 
plenty  of  prickly  pears,  for  they  already  knew  about  us  and 
how  we  cured,  and  of  the  wonders  which  Our  Lord  worked 
through  us,  which,  even  if  there  had  been  no  others,  suffi- 
ciently great  were  the  ones  of  opening  roads  for  us  through 
an  unpeopled  land,  and  allowing  us  to  meet  people  where  for  a 
long  lime  none  had  been,  and  freeing  us  from  so  many  dan- 
gers, not  allowing  them  to  kill  us,  and  feeding  us  in  our 
extreme  hunger,  and  so  disposing  the  hearts  of  those  people 
as  to  treat  us  well,  as  we  shall  say  further  on." 

The  next  day  some  Indians  came  and  asked  Castillo  to  cure 
them,  as  they  were  suffering  very  hard  from  headaches. 
Castillo  offered  a  mental  prayer  with  eyes  upraised  to  heaven 
and  his  hands  folded  across  his  breast,  and  made  next  the 
sign  of  the  cross  over  the  Indians  which  was  enough  for  them 
to  feel  cured,  and  to  communicate  the  miraculous  incident 
to  their  people;  wherefore  they  made  great  feasts  bestowing 
lavishly  on  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  comrades  real  homages. 
The  Indians  that  had  been  cured  were  willing  to  give  proofs 
of  their  gratitude  and  brought  the  Spaniards  a  large  quantity 
of  prickly  pears,  and  with  them  others  came  who  said  they 
were  sick,  and  brought  along  with  them  a  great  deal  of 
venison  and  other  food  stuffs.  All  were  cured  by  merely  the 
sign  of  the  cross  made  over  them  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  Cas- 
tillo, wherefore  they  continued  their  festivities,  and  the  pres- 
tige of  the  Spaniards,  as  superior  beings,  was  thereby 
assured;  such  was  the  pleasure  felt  by  the  Indians  with  the 
cures  made  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  Castillo  that  from  that 
day  on  heralds  were  sent  from  nation  to  nation  announcing 
the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards.  Cabeza  de  Vaca  knew  well  how 
to  recognize  and  turn  to  advantage  what  their  cures  procured 
for  them,  and  thenceforward  he  assumed  in  truth  and  in  deed, 
the  superiority  and  supernatural  power  which  the  Indians 
attributed  to  him.  So  it  is  that,  at  the  close  of  the  feast, 
things  changed.     Let  us  hear  Cabeza  de  Vaca: 

"And  the  feast  lasted  three  days  on  account  of  our  coming, 
and  at  the  end  of  them  we  asked  them  concerning  the  land 
ahead,  and  for  the  people  there  were  in  it.     We  told  them 


86  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

that  we  wanted  to  leave  at  that  sundown,  and  they  answered 
that  in  that  direction  the  people  were  very  far  off,  and  w^e 
commanded  that  they  send  word  to  let  them  know  that  we 
were  going  thitherward,  and  they  excused  themselves  as 
much  as  they  could  for  doing  this. 

But  they  dared  not  do  anything  else,  so  they  sent 

two  women,  one  of  theirs,  and  the  other,  of  the  ones  they  held 
captives;  and  they  sent  these  because  woman  can  trade, 
though  there  be  war:  and  we  followed  them  and  stopped  at 
a  place  where  it  was  agreed  we  should  wait  for  them ;  but  they 
delayed  for  five  days,  and  the  Indians  said  that  they  must 
have  not  found  any  people.  We  told  them  to  take  us  north- 
ward, they  answered  in  the  same  manner,  saying  that  there 
wei'e  no  people  there,  but  very  far  off,  and  that  there  was 
nothing  to  eat,  and  no  water;  and  with  all  this,  we  insisted 
and  said  that  we  wanted  to  go  there,  and  they  still  excused 
themselves  the  best  way  they  could,  and  on  this  account  we 
got  angry,  and  I  went  out  of  the  camp  one  night  to  sleep  in 
the  camp  apart  from  them;  but  they  went  immediately  to 
where  I  was  and  were  all  night  without  sleeping  and  with 
great  fear,  and  speaking  to  and  teUing  me  how  struck  with 
fear  they  w^ere,  pleading  with  us  not  to  be  angr^-  any  more  and 
that  though  they  should  die  on  the  road,  they  w^ould  take  us 
where  ever  we  wanted  to  go;  and,  as  we  yet  feigned  angriness 
so  that  their  fear  might  not  leave  them,  a  strange  case 
occurred,  and  it  was  that,  on  this  same  day,  many  of  them  got 
sick  and  on  the  next  day  eight  men  died.  All  through  the 
land  they  were  so  much  afraid  of  us  that  it  looked  as  if  they 
would  all  die  at  the  sight  of  us."' 

The  death  of  those  eight  Indians  was  attributed  by  all  the 
tribe  as  being  the  consequence  of  the  displeasure  of  Cabeza 
de  Vaca,  the  result  of  their  fear  being,  that  the  other  tribes 
through  which  the  Spaniards  passed  were  very  careful  of 
pleasing  them  by  obeying  them  and  complying  willingly 
with  their  orders.  Prom  this  place,  always  preceded  by 
guides,  as  has  been  said,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  comrades 
followed  up  their  journey  for  many  leagues  northwards  till 
they  came  to  lands  where  mountains  and  piilon  woods 
abounded.     About  that,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  says: 


ILLUSTRATED    HlSTOIiY   OF    NKW    MEXICO.  87 

"There  are  in  that  land  sliort  pine  trees,  and  their  pine 
apples  are  as  small  eggs,  but  the  pifiones  are  better  than  those 
of  Castille,  because  their  shells  are  thinner;  and  when  they 
are  green,  they  grind  them  and  make  them  into  balls  and  in 
that  manner  they  eat  them;  and  if  they  are  dry  they  grind 
them  with  the  shells,  and  eat  them  as  powders.'' 

Hunger  Drives  the  Spaniards  to  Eating  Dog  Flesh. 

Before  following  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  it  is 
well  to  again  call  the  reader's  attention  to  the  awful  plight 
hunger  placed  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  in  before 
reaching  the  land  where  piiion  trees  were  found.  On  their 
way  they  came  across  some  Indians  who  were  just  as  bad  off, 
so  far  as  food  was  concerned,  as  the  Spaniards.  The 
Spaniards  were  completely  worn  out  from  fatigue  and 
hunger  when  these  Indians  were  found,  and  seeing  that 
the  said  Indians  had  nothing  to  give  to  them,  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
^made  up  his  mind  to  buy  from  the  Indians  two  dogs  in  order 
to  appease  their  hunger,  and  the  Indians  gladly  sold  the 
dogs  to  the  Spaniards.  The  dogs  were  killed,  accordingly, 
and  all  partook  of  a  hearty  dinner  after  which  the  Spaniards 
continued  their  journey.  * 

Taking  all  the  necessary  supplies  of  those  foods  they 
continued  their  journey  for  months  until  at  last  they  met  a 
large  river  (which  all  historiographers  say  was  the  Rio  de 
Pecos),  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  called  "El  Rio  de  las  Vacas," 
on  account  of  his  having  seen  there  many  blankets  and  buffalo 
robes,  and  they  also  found  at  this  point  much  corn  which  the 
Indians  said  had  been  brought  from  certain  lands  to  the  West. 

"We  also  wanted  to  know  whence  had  they  brought  that  corn 
and  they  told  us  that  from  where  the  sun  sets,  and  that  there 
were  lots  of  it  all  through  that  land,  but  that  the  nearest  way 
thither  was  through  that  road.  We  asked  them  which  way  we 
should  go  well,  and  to  inform  us  about  the  road,  because  they 
did  not  want  to  go  there;  they  told  us  that  the  road  was  a  long 

*  "Despues  que  coinimos  los  perros,  pareciendonos  que  teniamos 
algun  esfuerzo  para  poder  yir  adelante,  encomendjiraonos  il  Dios 
nuestro  Senor  para  que  nos  guiase,  nos  de.spedimos  de  aquellos  Indies 
y  ellos  nos  encarainaron  a  otros  de  su  leng-ua  que  estavan  cerca  de 
alii"— Naufrag-ios,  Chap.  23. 


88  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

that  river  northward,  and  that  in  17  (jornadas)  journeys 
{days)  we  would  find  nothing  else  to  eat,  but  a  fruit  which 

they  call  chacan   After  staying  there    two  days,    we 

decided  to  go  in  search  of  the  corn,  and  did  not  wish  to  take 
the  road  of  Las  Vacas  because  it  is  northward,  and  that  was 
for  ufe  a  big  circuit,  because  we  always  held  it  for  certain  that 
going  towards  the  sunset  we  would  find  what  we  desired." 

They  traveled  for  several  days  following  the  river  bank 
westward  until  they  reached,  after  traveling  for  forty-seven 
days,  certain  lands  surrounded  by  sierras  (mountain  chains) 
in  which  there  were  certain  pueblos  inhabited  by  semi-civil- 
ized  Indians  who  lived  in  well  made  dwelling  houses. 

"At  the  end  of  these  journeys  we  found  houses  with  seats 
(or  houses  solidly  laid)  where  much  corn  was  gathered,  and 
they  gave  us  a  great  quantity  both  of  the  corn  and  its  meal, 

also  pumpkins  and  beans,  and  cotton  blankets Among 

these  houses  there  were  some  made  of  ground  (adobes)  and 
all  the  others  were  made  out  of  reeds  and  rushes."" 

Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  now  were  very  far  in 
the  interior  of  the  territory  which  forms  today  the  State  of 
Sonora,  in  the  Mexican  Republic.  The  pueblo  in  which  days 
before,  corn,  meal,  pumpkins,  beans,  and  cotton  blankets  had 
been  given  to  the  Spaniards,  was,  doubtless,  the  Pueblo  of 
Zuni,asthe  reader  will  see  before  the  end  of  this  chapter, 
from  what  the  Indian  governor  of  that  pueblo  said  in  Santa 
Fe,  the  Capital  of  New  Mexico,  in  1883. 

The  Indians  that  inhabited  these  places  told  the  Spaniards 
that  somewhere  there  (thereabouts)  were  other  men  like 
themselves,  and  Cabeza  de  Vaca  anxious  to  see  the  faces  of 
other  Christians  desired  to  send  on  that  night  one  of  his 
companions  in  search  of  those  Christians;  but  as  they  refused 
to  do  it,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  decided  to  go  himself  with  Estevanico 
in  search  of  them  undertaking  his  journey  the  next  day. 


His  Lordship,  Don  Jose  Antonio  liUureano  Zubirlii,  Bishop  of  Durango,  under 
■whose  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  was  New  Mexico  while  a  province  of  the  Repub- 
lic of  Mexico.  Bishop  Zubirld's  first  visit  to  New  Mexico  was  made  In  18;S5,  and 
his  last  In  1S13  4.  He  was,  therefore.  New  Mexico's  last  Bishop  under  Mexican  rule. 


Most  Uev.  Don  .Iiuiii  Bautistii  Liuiiy,  Arolibisliop  of  Sii 
Mexico's  first  Hisliop,  IMol,  uiulcr  tlu'  Ann'iu-jiii  Rovi'rniiifiit. 
publislK'il  In  nnotlicr  part  of  this  work. 


nta  Ft'.     Was  New 
His  life  and  works 


ILLUSTRATKI)    FIISTOUY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  9t 

After  travelin«:  thirty  leagues,  and  gone  past  three  Indian 
towns,  where  the  Christians  referred  to  had  slept  the  night 
before,  they  overtook  four  of  them  mounted  on  horses.  Their 
mutual  surprise  can  only  be  imagined.  At  this  sudden 
meeting  in  the  interior  of  unknown  lands,  surrounded  by 
thousands  of  barbarous  Indians,  the  mounted  Spaniards  were 
dumfounded  and  stupefied  at  their  beholding  in  their  presence 
of  two  human  beings,  one,  a  white  man,  the  other  a  negro,  who 
were  not  Indians,  nor  yet  looked  like  European  on  account  of 
the  ragged  apparel  they  were  dressed  in.  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
and  the  negro  were  equally  surprised  so  much  so  that 
n.either  the  ones  nor  the  others  dared  speak  a  word,  but  by 
means  of  signs,  were  at  last  able  to  understand  that  they 
were  Europeans,  the  recognition  being  followed  by  their 
conversation  in  the  Castillian  language  and  relating  to  them- 
selves mutually  the  story  of  their  adventures.  The  mounted 
Spaniards  informed  Cabeza  de  Vaca  that  their  chief,  Diego 
de  Alcardz  was,  with  other  soldiers,  very  near  them,  and 
then  carried  Cabeza  de  V^aca  and  the  negro  to  the  place 
where  Alcardz  was.  Great  was  the  pleasure  of  Alcaraz  on 
meeting  with  Cabeza  de  Vaca  for  he  also  and  his  men  had 
begun  to  suffer  through  the  lack  of  food.  Alcaraz  thence  sent 
three  men  on  horseback,  accompanied  by  fifty  Indians,  to  go 
and  bring  Castillo  and  Dorantes,  Estevanico  the  negro  going 
with  them  in  order  to  guide  them.  When  Estevanico,  with 
the  soldiers  and  Indians  mentioned,  had  left,  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
requested  Alcardz  to  give  him  a  written  document  stating 
how  it  happened  that  he,  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  had  come  to  meet 
with  Alcaraz,  and  to  tell  the  month,  day  and  year,  a  thing 
Alcaraz  did  with  great  pleasure.  The  place  in  which  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  met  with  Alcaraz  was  very  near  a  large  river,  at  a 
distance  of  about  30  miles  from  the  Villa  of  San  Miguel  at 
Culiacan  (Spanish  Villa)  in  the  province  called  New  Galicia. 

During  Estevanico's  absence,  Alcardz  manifested  to  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  his  sadness  of  heart  at  not  having  been  able  to 
capture  any  Indians  in  order  to  make  them  slaves  and  also 
informed  him  of  the  extremity  of  his  situation  on  account 
of  the  scarcity  of  victuals.     About  it  Cabeza  de  Vaca  says: 

"And  after  having  spoken  to  him,  he  told  me  that  everything 
was  quite  lost  there,  because  many  days  had  elapsed   since 


•92  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

he  had  not  been  able  to  take  any  Indians,  and  that  he  had  no 
way  of  going  out,  because  among  them  need  and  hunger  had 
begun  to  appear." 

Cabeza  de  Vaca  at  once  foresaw  that  Alcaraz  had  no  good 
designs  towards  the  Indians,  and  that,  perhaps,  also,  on 
himself  and  his  companions  he  might  play  a  treacherous  part 
or  an  injustice,  by  asking  from  them  their  co-operation  in 
order  to  cause  the  apprehension  of  the  Indians,  a  thing  in 
which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  did  not  feel  disposed  to  help,  on 
account  of  humanitarian  motives,  and  also  because  the 
indigenes  had  been  to  him  during  his  long  journey,  very 
magnanimous.  Cabeza  de  Vaca's  fears  were  not  unfounded. 
Five  days  after  Estevanico,  the  three  mounted  soldiers,  and 
the  fifty  Indians  went  out  to  get  Dorantes  and  Castillo  to  the 
encampment  of  Alcaraz,  Estevanico  and  the  others  returned 
accompanied  by  Dorantes  and  Castillo  and  by  600  Indians, 
friends  to  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions,  but  the  ene- 
mies of  Alcaraz  and  his  troops  who  had  obliged  them  to  flee 
to  the  woods.  Immediately  on  the  arrival  of  Castillo,  Dorantes 
and  the  others,  Alcaraz  gave  orders  to  Cabeza  de  Vaca  to 
compel  the  Indians  to  bring  him  food  and  provisions,  a  thing 
which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  deemed  unnecessary,  because  the-  In- 
dians had  brought  with  them  plenty  of  supplies,  out  of  which 
Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  took  but  a  very  small 
part,  and  gave  the  rest  to  Alcardz  and  his  soldiers,  Alcaraz 
was  not  satisfied  with  the  food  he  received,  but  attempted 
to  compel  Cabeza  de  Vaca  into  consenting  to  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  Indians  and  to  make  them  slaves.  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
rejected  Alcaraz's  proposition  with  great  indignation,  from 
which  a  very  serious  quarrel  resulted  between  himself 
and  Alcaraz,  causing,  besides  the  rupture  of  their  friendly 
relations,  the  separation  between  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his 
companions,  from  Alcaraz  and  his  soldiers.  The  sadness 
which  the  conduct  of  Alcaraz  caused  Cabeza  de  Vaca  is  seen 
in  his  own  words: 

"Alcardz  requested  me  to  summon  the  people  of  the  pueblos 
who  were  along  the  bank  of  the  river  and  were  hiding  in  the 
woods  of  the  lands;  and  that  we  should  command  them  to 
bring  what  to  eat,  though  this  was  not  necessary,  because 
they  were  always  careful  of  bringing  us  whatever  they  could. 


ILLUSTRATED    HIS'JORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  93 

We  sent  forthwith  our  messengers  to  call  them,  and  six 
hundred  persons  came  who  brought  us  all  the  corn  that  they 
could  and  they  brough  in  kettles  with  clay  covers,  in  which 
they  had  buried  and  hidden  it,  and  they  brought  us  most  all 
they  had,  but  we  did  not  wish  to  take  from  them  any  more 
than  our  dinner,  and  gave  all  the  rest  to  the  Christians  that 
they  might  divide  it  among  themselves;  and  after  this,  we  had 
many  and  great  disputes  with  them,  because  they  wanted  to 
make  slaves  out  of  the  Indians  we  brought  along,  and  for  this 
reason,  when  we  parted,  we  left  many  bows  and  turcjuoises 
that  we  had  with  us,  and  many  bags  and  arrows,  and  among 
them,  the  five  emeralds,  nobody  remembering  them;  and  so 
we  lost  them." 

The  Indians  were  no  less  surprised  with  the  cruel  conduct 
of  Alcaraz,  and  they  so  informed  Cabeza  de  Vaca  telling  him 
that  Alcaraz  and  his  men  were  not  good  hearted  men,  that 
they  lied  and  caused  damages  and  injuries  to  the  Indians  and 
that  consequently  they  were  not  of  the  same  nation  as  Cabeza 
de  Vaca,  for  Alcaraz  came  from  the  West,  and  he,  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  and  his  companions,  came  from  the  East;  that  Alcaraz 
wanted  to  enslave  them,  and  he  and  his  companions  did  good 
to  them,  curing  them  and  treating  them  with  good  words. 

Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  had  not  gone  far  when 
they  were  arrested  by  a  squad  of  soldiers  sent  by  Alcaraz  to 
carry  them  as  prisoners  to  the  Alcalde  Cebreros  in  the  Villa 
of  San  Miguel,  the  intention  of  Alcaraz  being,  to  thus  get  rid 
of  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  and,  in  that  way,  imprison  the  Indians; 
but,  as  Cabeza  de  Vaca  suspected  the  intentions  of  Alcaraz,. 
he  advised  the  Indians  to  llee  and  not  to  return  to  their  lands 
until  Alcaraz  had  gone  out  of  them,  an  advice  which  they 
followed  without  delay.  When  the  soldiers  arrived  in  the 
presence  of  Alcalde  Cebreros,  with  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his 
comrades,  the  Alcalde  attempted  to  coerce  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
into  yielding  to  the  propositions  of  Alcardz;  but,  as  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  stood  firm  in  not  acceding,  he  was  sent  to  a  desert  with 
his  men  to  see  if  that  could  compel  them  to  obey;  but  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  and  his  companions  again  stood  firm  in  their  friend- 
ship to  the  Indians,  wherefore  the  Alcalde  became  indignant 
at  them  and  sent  them  to  Culiacdn  so  that  the  Alcalde  of  that 
place  should  take  cognizance  of  the  "rebellious  conduct"  of 


"94  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

■Cdbeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions.  Speaking  of  his  arrest 
and  of  the  treatment  he  received  from  the  two  Alcaldes, 
Cabeza  de  Vaca  thus  expresses  himself: 

"They  sent  us  (under  arrest)  to  a  certain  Cebreros,  Alcalde, 
.and  with  him  two  others,  who  carried  us  through  the  woods 
and  depopulated  places  in  order  to  keep  us  apart  from  the 
conversation  of  the  Indians,  and  that  we  might  not  see  nor 
know  what  they  in  fact  did;  wherein  it  appears  how  the 
thoughts  of  those  men  were  deceived,  in  that  we  were  looking 
for  liberty  for  them  (the  Indians),  and,  when  we  thought  we 
had  it,  the  contrary  happened,  for  they  had  agreed  to  go  and 
fall  upon  the  Indians  whom  we  had  sent  well  secured,  and  in 
peace;  and  just  as  they  had  thought,  they  did  it;  they  carried 
us  through  those  woods  for  three  days,  without  water,  lost 
and  without  road,  and  we  all  thought  of  dying  of  thirst,  and 
from  it  seven  men  died, and  many  friends  which  the  Christians 
had  along  with  them  could  not  arrive  until  the  next  day  at 
noon  to  where  we  found  the  water  on  that  night,  and  we 
traveled  with  them  25  leagues  a  little  more  or  less,  and  at  the 
end  of  them  we  arrived  at  a  pueblo  of  Indians  at  peace,  and  the 
Alcalde  who  carried  us  left  us  there  and  he  passed  ahead 
three  leagues  more  to  a  pueblo  which  was  called  Culiacan, 
where  Melchor  Diaz  was  Alcalde,  Mayor  and  Captain  of  that 
province.' 

Concerning  the  treatment  that  Melchor  Diaz  gave  him 
■Cabeza  de  Vaca  says: 

"And  he  spoke  to  us  and  treated  us  very  well,  and,  in  behalf 
of  Governor  Nuno  de  Guzman  and  his  own,  he  offered  us  all  he 
had  and  could  do,  and  he  was  much  grieved  at  the  bad 
reception  and  treatment  we  had  found  in  Alcaraz  and  the 
others,  and  he  assured  us  that,  if  he  had  been  there,  all  that 
was  done  with  us  and  the  Indians  would  have  been  avoided." 

Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  remained  at  Culiacdn 
from  the  beginning  of  May  until  the  15th  of  the  same  month, 
■expecting  to  continue  their  journey  as  far  as  the  City  of 
Compostela,  capital  of  the  province  and  place  of  residence  of 
Governor  Nuilo  de  Guzman,  where  the  necessary  protection 
should  be  given  them,  as  the  City  of  Compostela  was  at  a 
•distance  of  900  miles  from  Culiacdn  and  the  country  between 


ILLUSTKATKI)    HISTORY    OF    NI<:\V    MEXICO.  05 

the  two  points  was  not  only  shorn  of  vegetation,  but  even 
infested  by  hostile  Indians.  On  the  15th  of  May,  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  started  tov^ards  Mexico  accompanied  by  his  companions 
and  forty  mounted  men  who  went  with  them  until  they  had 
travelled  120  miles  (48  leagues),  returning  thence  the  mounted 
men,  and  continuing  the  march,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his 
companions  in  the  company  of  six  Spaniards,  who  carried  with 
them  500  Indian  slaves,  reaching  Compostela  in  the  first  days 
of  July.  Governor  Guzman  gave  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his 
companions  a  very  cordial  reception  providing  them  with  food 
and  clothing.  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  could  not 
get  used,  for  some  time,  to  the  clothing  and  bedding,  for  being 
already  so  accustomed  to  the  life  and  habits  of  the  Indian 
savages,  they  preferred  to  sleep  on  the  bare  ground.  A  few 
days  after,  they  set  out  on  their  journej^  arriving  at  the  City 
of  Mexico  on  July  25,  1536,  where  they  were  very  politely 
received  by  the  Viceroy  MendQza,and  Hernan  Cortes,  who  was 
now  Marquis  of  the  Valley.  ,An  Mexico,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  gave 
a  detailed  account  of  the  failure  of  Narvaez's  expedition,  his 
voyage  and  sufferings,  all  of  which  caused  general  astonish- 
ment to  the  Viceroy,  Cortfes,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  city. 
From  Mexico  they  started  on  April  of  the  next  year  through 
Vera  Cruz  for  Spain,  Estevanico,  the  negro,  remaining  in 
Mexico.  From  Vera  Cruz  they  left  in  the  middle  of  the  same 
month  and  reached  Spain,  August,  1587,  not  without  having 
suffered  many  hardships  both  in  the  high  seas  and  on  the 
islands  where  they  stopped  and  remained  for  a  long  time, 
closing,  with  their  arrival  in  Spain,  the  longest  and  most 
romantic  journey  known  in  the  annals  of  history. 

After  their  return  to  Spain  in  1537,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  was 
appointed  by  the  king.  Governor  and  Adelantado  of  the  pro- 
vince of  "La  Plata'"  (which  today  comprises  three  republics, 
i.  e.,  Argentine,  Paraguay  and   Uruguay),  in  South  America. 

Governor  Cabeza  de  Vaca  Sails  for  La  Plata — His  Return  and  Death. 

On  the  2nd  day  of  December,  1540,  Governor  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
sailed  from  Cddiz  to  assume  charge  of  his  province  taking 
with  him  four  sailing  ships,  400  men,  26  horses  and  all  the 


96  ILLUSTRATKD   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

necessary  provisions,*  arrived  at  the  Island  of  Santa  Catalina, 
on  the  coastof  Brazil  on  the  9thday  of  March,  1541,+  and  after 
many  hardships,  arrived  at  the  City  of  Asuncion,  capital  of 
the  province,  March  11,  1542,  u^here  he  found  the  Spaniards 
under  Domingo  Yrala  in  great  distress.  From  that  date  until 
he  returned  to  Spain,  in  December,  1545,  as  a  prisoner,  and 
the  victim  of  intrigues  on  the  part  of  Yrala  and  his  cohorts, 
and  for  eight  years  thereafter,  during  which  time  he 
remained  a  prisoner,  this  v^^onderful  and  unfortunate  man 
suffered  even  more  than  what  he  had  suffered  in  his  adven- 
turous journey  from  Florida  to  Mexico.  On  the  charges 
preferred  against  him  he  was  found  guilty  by  the  "Consejo  de 
Indias,"  and  was  sentenced  to  forfeiture  of  his  office  and  title 
and  to  exile,  but  upon  appeal  to  the  king,  and  after  eight 
years,  as  already  stated,  he  was  vindicated,  and  the  sum  of 
2,000  "ducados"  annually  was  allowed  to  him  during  his  life. 
As  to  how  he  ended  his  life  nothing  absolutely  certain  is 
known;  some  of  the  ancient  writers  affirm  that  at  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  President  of  the  Consulate  (Consulado)  in 
the  City  of  Sevilla,  others  affirm  that  he  spent  the  last  days  of 
his  life  as  a  monk  and  RectDr  or  Superior  of  a  religious  order.]; 
As  we  said  before  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  had  in  fact  passed 
through  New  Mexico,  the  opinions  of  Bandelier,  Bancroft  and 
Twitchell  to  the  contrary,  notwithstanding,  we  wish,  before 
closing  this  chapter,  to  furnish  reasons  on  which  we  lean  in 

*  '^'A  dos  dias  del  mes  de  Diciembre  de  ano  pasado  de  mil  6 
quinientos  6  cuarenta  anos  parti  6  me  hiee  a  la  bela  en  la  bayya  de 
Cjidiz,  con  cuatro  nabios,  quatrocientos  hombres  y  quarenta  ^  seys 
eavallos  y  yeguas.  para  yr  a  la  dicha  provincia  del  rio  de  la  Plata." 
— Cabeza  de  I'aca.  ''Nauf.  y  Comentarios,"  Sudrez  Edition,   Vol.  J,  p.  S. 

t  "A  beynte  nueve  dias  del  mez  de  Marzo  del  afio  pasado  de  mil  e 
quinientos  6  quarenta  e  un  ailos  lleg"u^  con  mi  armada  (i  la  Ysla  de 
Santa  Catalina,  questd,  en  beynte  d  ocho  grados  en  la  costa  del 
Brasil."— Catena  de  Vaca.     ^^Navf.  y  Com."  supra,   Vol.  -2,  p.  J. 

X  "Lasmismas  sombras  ocultan  los  liltimos  ailos  de  Alvar  Nunez, 
en  los  Comentarios  se  lee  que  no  le  dieron  "recompensa  de  lo  que 
gasto,"  pero  Ruy  Diaz  de  Guzman  alirma  que  le  asignaron  2,000 
ducados  anuales  de  sueldo.  Este  mismo  dice  que  murio  en  Sevilla 
siendo  Presidente  del  Consulado,  y  los  anotadores  de  las  Cartas  de 
Imlias  creen  que  se  hizo  religioso  y  falleci6  de  prior  en  un  convento  de 
aquella  ciuda.d. ''—Stuirez,  "i\'aw/.  y  Coinentarios,"  Vol.  ..'.  page  II  of 
Advertencia" 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  97 

differing  from  those  authors.  According  to  a  diagram  pub- 
hshed  by  BandeHer,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  must  have  started  from 
quite  near  the  place  where  the  Sabine  River  empties  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  traveling  almost  all  the  time  westw^ard  across 
the  States  of  Texas,  Chihuahua  and  Sonora,  crossing  tv^^ice 
the  Yaqui  River  near  the  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  California,  and 
going  after  his  second  crossing  of  the  Yaqui  River  a  little  ta 
the  southeast  at  a  little  distance  from  the  Gulf  of  California 
till  he  reached  Culiacdn.  Tiiis  diagram  of  Bandelier's  does 
not  agree  with  the  account  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  because^ 
according  to  the  diagram,  Cabeza  de  Vaca  must  have  crossed 
the  Pecos  River  at  the  place  of  the  junction  of  that  river  with 
the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  very  far  in  the  interior  of  what  is 
today  the  State  of  Texas;  whereas  Cabeza  de  Vaca  tells  in  his 
narrative  that  he  travelled  many  miles  to  the  north  and  along 
the  Pecos  River  (El  Rio  de  Las  Vacas  as  he  called  it).  So  that 
by  following  the  Pecos  River  northward  from  the  place  where 
Cabeza  de  Vaca  followed  its  course  up  stream,  the  conclusion 
that  he  arrived  at  the  Pueblo  of  Zuili,  is  inevitable. 

Three  circumstances  establish  the  logic  of  this  Author  in 
that  particular,  namely:  First,  that  after  Cabeza  de  Vaca  had 
gone  back  to  Spain,  Mendoza  sent  Father  Marcos  de  Niza  to 
examine  the  lands  and  pueblos,  concerning  which  so  many 
things  had  been  related  to  him  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  sending 
Estevanico  as  guide  of  Niza's  expedition,  and  Zuni  being  the 
largest  pueblo  to  which  Estevanico  led  the  expedition,  and  the 
place,  too,  where  he  was  assassinated:  Second,  Antonio  de 
Espejo  (the  reader  will  see  when  he  reads  Espejo's  account) 
tells  us  that  when  he  was  alread}^  very  far  in  the  interior  of 
the  country,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande,  he  found 
Indian  pueblos  who  told  him  that  many  years  before,  three 
white  men  and  a  negro,  who  came  from  the  East,  had  passed 
through  there,  and  that  they  made  cures;  finally  this  Author 
recalls  the  fact,  that  in  the  year  1883,  when,  in  the  City  of 
Santa  Fe,  Capital  of  New  Mexico,  the  festivities  of  the  Tertio 
Millennium  were  being  celebrated,  the  Indian  governor  of  the 
Pueblo  of  Zufii,  who  attended  them,  delivered  a  speech  in 
which  he  said  that  the  first  strangers  that  tread  the  Pueblo 
of  Zurli,  according  to  the  traditions  of  his  pueblo,  had  been 
three  white  men  and  a  negro  who  passed  through  there  in  a 


•98  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

westward  direction,  and  that  they  performed  miraculous 
cures  by  only  placing  their  hands  over  the  sick.  From  what 
Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Espejo  and  the  Indian  governor  have  said,  it 
is  but  verj^  reasonable  to  believe  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  was  in 
fact  in  what  is  today  New  Mexico,  refuting  thereby  the 
theoretical  opinions  of  Bancroft  and  Bandelier.  Among  the 
authors  who  assert  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca  did  visit  New  Mexico 
we  cite  Donaldson,  Prince,  Haynes  and  Salpointe.  We  shall 
now  take  up,  in  the  next  chapter,  the  expedition  of  Fray 
Marcos  de  Niza  and  Fray  Juan  de  la  Asuncion  into  New 
Mexico. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  voyages  of  Fray  Juan  de  la  Asuncion  and  of  Fray  Marcos  de  Niza 
— Niza  is  accompanied  by  Estevanico,  a  Friar  called  Onorato,  and 
some  Indians  from  New  Galicia — Description  of  the  voyage  to 
Cibola  (Zuni)  and  death  of  Estevanico — Niza  takes  possession  and 
gives  a  name  to  the  province — Niza's  return  to  Mexico — Cortes 
disputes  with  Niza  the  discovery  of  New  Mexico. 


15384539. 


Much  has  been  said  and  written  regarding  the  origin  of 
Fray  Marcos  de  Niza,  many  historians  saying  that  Niza  was 
originally  from  the  City  of  Nizza,in  the  kingdom  of  Italy,  and 
alleging  that  he  had  taken  the  surname  from  his  native  city; 
that  is,  however,  a  mere  conjecture,  as  unfounded  as  it  is 
unjustified,  (since  other  authors  assert  that  he  was  a  Span- 
iard) for  the  name  of  the  city  is  written  "Nizza"  while  that  of 
the  priest  is  written  "Niza"  which  makes  it  a  proper  Spanish 
name.  Some  others  affirm  that  he  was  a  Frenchman.  Not- 
withstanding the  difference  in  the  name, the  majority  of  auth- 
ors say  he  wasinreality  an  Italian.  Whatever  the  case  may  be, 
Father  Marcos  de  Niza  was  certainly  a  man  of  extraordinary 
intelligence,  who,  because  of  his  intellectual  attainments,  was 
sent  to  America  in  1531,  as  superior,  together  with  other 
Franciscan  priests  of  the  same  religious  order  to  which  Niza 
belonged.  The  year  following,  1532,  he  accompanied  Pizarro 
to  Perii,  returning  subsequently  to  other  points  in  South 
America  and  settling  for  a  time  in  Nicaragua  where  he  stayed 
till  1535  or  1536. 

The  account  given  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  in  Mexico  in  1536,  had 
so  enthused  the  Viceroy  Mendoza  that  he  began  to  meditate 
upon  the  fitting  up  of  a  strong  expedition  for  discovering  and 
peopling  of  the  wonderful  places  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  had 
painted  with  such  mastery.  Mendoza  hesitated  for  a  while  as 
to  the  person  worthy  of  his  confidence,  and  who  might  be 
capable  of  carrying  the  enterprise  to  a  happy  termination. 


100  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Nuno  de  Guzman  was  no  longer  governor  of  the  province  of 
New  Galicia,  having  been  replaced  by  Don  Francisco  Vasquez 
de  Coronado  who,  on  account  of  his  relationship  with  families 
of  noble  lineage,  and  his  being  a  knight  of  Salamanca,  had 
been  married  in  Mexico  to  the  daughter  of  the  governor  of 
Mexico,  Alonzo  de  Estrada, while  he  (Coronado) acted,  in  New 
Spain,  as  the  official  overseer  of  his  majesty  the  king  of  Spain, 
wherewith  he  won  for  himself  the  friendship  and  regardof  the 
grandees  in  the  City  of  Mexico.  It  was  at  the  time  whenCor- 
onado  tarried  in  Mexico  as  overseer,  that  Cabezade  Vacaand 
his  companions  arrived  in  that  city, and  thus  it  was,  also,  that 
Coronado  heard  from  Cabeza  de  Vaca'sown  lips  the  narrative 
which  the  latter  made  (of  his  adventures).  These  consider- 
ations induced  Mendoza  to  send  Coronado  to  inspect  all  the 
lands  to  the  north  of  New  Galicia,  with  the  object  of  ascer- 
taining whether  or  not  what  Cabeza  de  Vaca  said  was  certain, 
and,  in  case  it  was  so,  to  return  to  New  Galicia  and  organize 
a  military  expedition.  In  virtue  of  the  decision  of  the  viceroy 
several  reconnoitering  trips  were  made  to  the  extreme  north 
of  the  territory  which  makes  up  today  the  State  of  Sinaloa, 
in  the  Mexican  Republic,  but  none  of  those  trips  was  of 
sufficient  importance  as  to  deserve  a  detailed  mention. 
Coronado,  however,  thought  it  opportune  to  send  an  expedition 
composed  of  friars  and  some  natives  to  push  into  the  interior 
towards  the  North  until  they  encountered  the  large  pueblos 
which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  said  they  had  seen, 
recommending  for  the  task  Father  Fray  Marcos  de  Niza, 
about  whom  he  heard  many  favorable  things.  Mendoza 
accepted  willingly  the  suggestion  of  Coronado,  and  designated 
Father  Niza  to  carry  into  effect  what  Coronado  recommended, 
while  he  at  once  forwarded  to  Coronado  positive  and  specific 
instructions  to  be  delivered  to  Niza. 

The  Voyage  of  Fray  Marcos  de  Niza 
In  the  City  of  Compostela,  Tonald,  Coronado  delivered  to 
Fray  Marcos  de  Niza  the  instructions  of  the  viceroy.  Before 
Niza  set  out  on  his  voyage  of  discovery,  another  priest,  called 
Juan  de  la  Asuncion, previously  sent  by  Coronado,  had  already 
made  a  voyage  and  discovered  the  Gila  River,  returning  to 
Mexico  in  October,  1538,  and  giving  the  viceroy  an  account  of 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOUV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  101 

what  he  had  seen,  wherefore  Niza  was  directed  by  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  viceroy  to  follow  the  footsteps  of  Pray  Juan  de 
Asuncion. 

Fray  Juan  de  Asuncion's  narrative  has  not  been  published 
in  historical  works,  and  the  information  necessary  to  enable 
us  to  affirm  whether  or  not  he  visited  the  Gila  River  near  its 
confluence  with  the  Colorado  River  or  further  up,  is  lost  to  us 
through  the  lack  of  that  narrative.  At  any  rate,  we  may  be 
sure  that  he  visited  New  Mexico,  for,  before  the  formation  of 
Arizona  into  a  territory,  the  boundaries  of  New  Mexico  on  the 
West  reached  as  far  as  Sonora,  beyond  the  confluence  of  the 
Gila  and  Colorado  Rivers. 

Mendoza's  instructions  to  Niza  are  given  verbatim  in  the 
second  Spanish  and  this  first  English  edition  of  this  work, 
that  is  to  say,  such  as  they  were  written  by  Mendoza,  and  not 
as  they  were  given  in  the  tirst  Spanish  edition.  In  said  first 
edition  they  were  translated  back  by  this  Author  from  the 
English  into  the  Spanish  from  the  work  entitled:  "Papers  of 
the  Archasological  Institute  of  America,"  because  this  Author 
could  not  get  in  time  the  valuable  document  in  Spanish.  After 
said  tirst  edition  had  gone  to  press,  that  document,  together 
with  others  of  the  greatest  historical  importance,  reached  him 
from  Spain,  and  he  can  today  with  the  highest  pleasure  give 
the  original  of  the  important  document  (although  the  differ- 
ence between  the  translation  and  the  original  is  not  very 
noticeable)  taking  it  from  the  third  volume  of  "Coleccion  de 
Documentos  InMitos  Relativos  al  Descubrimiento,  Conquista 
y  Colonizaci6n  de  las  Posesiones  Espanolas  en  America  y 
Oceania,"  from  page  325.     The  instructions  follow: 

^'Instruction  of  Don  Antonio  de  Mendoza,  Viceroy  of  Nueva  Espana 

"In  the  first  place:  As  soon  as  you  arrive  at  the  province 
of  Culiacdn,  you  shall  exhort,  and  encourage  the  Spaniards 
that  reside  in  the  Villa  of  San  Miguel  to  treat  well  the  Indians 
that  are  at  peace,  and  not  to  help  themselves  of  them  in 
excessive  things,  certifying  to  them  and  doing  it  so, that  con- 
cessions shall  be  made  to  them  and  they  will  be  remunerated 
by  H.  M.  for  the  hardships  that  they  have  there  undergone, 
and  in  me  they  shall  have  a  good  helper  for  that  purpose;  and 
if  they  do  the  contrary,  they  shall  be  punished  and  disfavored. 


102  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

"You  shall  make  the  Indians  understand  that  I  send  you^ 
in  the  name  of  H.  M.,  in  order  to  say  that  they  be  treated  Avell 
and  that  they  may  know  that  he  has  been  sorry  for  the  griev- 
ances and  evils  that  they  have  received;  and  that  henceforth 
they  shall  be  well  treated,  and  those  who  shall  do  them  harm 
shall  be  punished. 

"In  like  manner  you  shall  certify  to  them  that  they  shall 
be  made  slaves  no  longer,  nor  will  they  be  taken  out  of  their 
lands;  but  that  they  will  be  left  free  in  them,  without  doing 
them  any  harm  or  damage;  let  them  loose  fear  and  know  God 
our  Lord,  who  is  in  heaven,  and  the  Emperor  who  is  placed 
by  his  hand  on  earth  in  order  to  rule  it  and  govern  it. 

"And  as  Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado,  whom  H.  M.  has 
provided  for  Governor  of  that  province,  shall  go  with  you  as 
far  as  the  villa  cf  San  Miguel  de  Culiacdn,  you  have  to  advise 
me  how  he  provides  for  the  things  of  that  villa,  in  what 
concerns  the  service  of  God  Our  Lcrd  and  the  conversion  and 
good  treatment  of  the  natives  of  that  province. 

"And  if  with  the  help  of  God  Our  Lord  and  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  you  shall  find  a  way  to  pass  ahead  through  the 
land  in  the  interior,  yoa  shall  carry  along  with  you  Estevan 
de  Dorantes  as  guide,  whom  I  command  to  obey  you  in  all 
and  for  all  that  you  command  him,  as  myselfsame  person; 
and  not  doing  it  so,  let  him  incur  in  evil  plight  and  in  the 
penalties  that  befall  those  who  obey  not  the  persons  who  have 
powers  from  H.  M.  to  be  able  to  command  them. 

"In  like  manner  the  said  governorPrancisco  Vasquezcarries 
along  the  Indians  that  came  with  Dorantes  and  others  that  it 
has  been  possible  to  gather  together  in  those  parts,  so  that  if 
it  appears  to  him  and  to  you  that  you  take  some  of  them  in 
your  company,  you  may  do  it  and  use  them  as  you  see  it  is 
fitting  for  the  service  of  Our  Lord. 

"You  shall  always  endeavor  to  go  the  most  securely  that 
may  be  possible,  and  informing  yourself  in  the  first  place  if 
the  Indians  are  at  peace  or  at  war  with  each  others,  in  order 
that  you  may  not  furnish  them  any  occasion  to  do  any 
disorder  against  your  person,  the  which  shall  be  cause  for 
proceeding  against  them  and  effect  punishment;  because  in 
this  manner,  instead  of  going  to  do  them  good  and  give  them 
light,  it  would  be  the  contrary. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOliY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  103 

"You  shall  take  much  notice  of  seeing  the  people  that 
there  is  there,  if  they  are  many  or  few,  and  if  they  are 
scattered  or  live  together. 

"The  quality  and  fertility  of  it,  the  temperature  of  the 
land,  the  trees  and  plants,  the  domestic  and  wild  animals 
that  it  has,  the  kind  of  land,  if  it  is  uneven,  or  plain,  the 
rivers,  if  they  are  large  or  small,  and  the  stones  and  metals 
that  there  are  in  it;  and  of  the  things  of  which  samples  may 
be  sent  or  brought,  bring  them  or  send  them,  so  that  H.  M. 
may  be  advised  of  all. 

"Learn  always  if  there  is  news  about  the  seacoast,  both 
from  the  northern  and  the  southern  part,  because  it  might  be 
that  the  land  grows  narrow  and  that  a  branch  of  the  sea 
projects  into  the  inland.  And  if  you  should  arrive  at  the 
coast  of  the  south  sea,  in  the  points  that  enter  (it),  at  the  foot 
of  a  tree  of  distinguished  largeness  leave  letters  buried  (in 
the  ground)  of  wiiat  may  appear  to  you  to  be  fitting  to  advise, 
and  on  such  tree  as  where  the  letter  remains,  carve  a  cross 
so  it  may  be  known;  in  the  same  manner  at  the  mouths  of 
the  rivers  and  in  the  disposition  of  ports  carve  the  same  sign 
of  the  cross  on  the  most  conspicuous  trees,  near  the  water, 
and  leave  there  the  letters,  so  that  if  I  send  vessels,  they 
will  go  advised  of  that  sign. 

"You  shall  always  try  to  send  advice,  with  Indians,  of  how 
you  are  faring  and  how  you  are  received,  and  of  what  you 
may  find,  very  particularly. 

"And  if  God  our  Lord  should  vouchsafe  that  you  find  some 
large  town  where  it  may  appear  to  you  that  there  is  a  good 
show  to  build  a  monastery  and  send  religious  persons  who 
may  attend  to  their  conversion,  you  shall  advise  by  Indians 
or  return  yourself  to  Culiacan.  With  all  secrecy  you  shall 
give  advice,  so  that,  what  may  be  fitting,  may  be  provided 
for  without  alteration,  so  that  thus,  in  the  pacification  of 
what  may  be  found,  the  service  of  our  Lord  and  the  good  of 
the  people  of  the  land  may  always  be  kept  in  view. 

"And,  although  all  the  land  belongs  to  the  Emperor,  Our 
Lord,  you  shall  in  my  name  take  possession  of  it  for  H.  M. 
and  you  shall  make  the  signs  and  autos  that  may  seem  to  you 
to  be  requisite  for  the  case;  and  you  shall  make  the  natives 
of  the  land  understand  that  there  is  a  God   in  heaven,  and 


104  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  Emperor  on  earth,  who  is  to  command  it  and  govern  it, 
and  to  whom  all  must  be  subject  and  serve.'" 

"D.  Antonio  De  Mendoza." 

**Certifications- 

"I,  Fra.  Marcos  de  Niza.  of  the  "Observantes  de  San  Fran- 
cisco", do  say,  that  I  received  a  copy  of  this  instruction 
signed  by  the  Most  Illustrious  Lord  Don  Antonio  de  Men- 
doza, viceroy  and  governor  of  New  Spain,  which  was  delivered 
to  me,  by  command  of  his  lordship,  and  in  his  name,  by 
Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado,  Governor  of  this  New 
Gahcia:  which  copy  is  taken  from  this  instruction,  "verbo 
ad  verbum",  and  with  it  was  corrected  and  compared,  with 
which  said  instruction  I  promise  to  comply  faithfully,  and 
not  to  go  nor  act  against  it  nor  against  any  thing  therein  con- 
tained, now  nor  at  any  time.  And  because  1  will  so  observe 
it  and  comply  with  it,  I  signed  my  name  here  in  Tonala,  on 
the  20th  day  of  the  month  of  November,  of  one  thousand  live 
hundred  and  thirty  and  eight  years,  where  he  gave  and 
delivered  to  me  in  said  name  the  said  instruction,  which  is  in 
the  province  of  this  New  Galicia.'" 

"Fra.  Marcos  de  Niza.'' 

From  what  is  seen  in  the  instructions  received  by  Niza, 
Mendoza  knew  well  that  the  Indians  had  suffered  many 
hardships  through  the  bad  treatment  given  them  by  many 
Spaniards  who,  in  their  explorations,  sought  neither  the 
glory  of  God,  nor  the  good  of  their  king,  but  rather  the  ruin 
of  the  Indians  depriving  them  of  what  little  they  had,  making 
slaves  of  them,  and  carrying  them  off  their  lands.  It  is  also 
true  that  the  higher  authorities  had  more  elevated  senti- 
ments, and  that  they  always  felt  disposed  not  only  to  civilize 
and  christianize  the  Indians,  but  to  make  use  of  everything 
in  their  power  and  of  all  their  means  and  faculties  to  protect 
the  natives  from  the  rapacity  of  the  said  conquerors  and 
adventurers.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  Catholic  Church 
figures  so  prominently,  from  the  discovery  of  America  to  the 
discovery  and  conquest  of  New  Mexico,  in  all  and  each  of  the 
grand  episodes  consummated  in  the  New  World, — a  period 
reaching  from  the  year  1492,  when  Columbus  first  discovered 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  105 

America,  to  the  year  Ui94,  when  Diego  de  Vargas  re  estab- 
hshed  peace  among  the  indigenes  of  New  Mexico,  by  recon- 
quering permanently  that  province.  In  this  manner,  also, 
is  the  fact  explained  that,  in  the  expeditions  and  conquests 
into  and  of  the  New  World  by  Spain,  between  the  fifteenth 
and  seventeenth  centuries,  the  monks  played  so  conspicuous 
a  part.  Perhaps,  Columbus  would  have  never  discovered 
America,  after  being  despised  by  the  court  of  Portugal  1471, 
and  even  by  that  of  Spain  in  1485,  if  Pray  Marchena,  Bishop 
Diego  de  Deza,  Cardinal  Mendoza  and  the  Dominican  priests, 
and  above  all.  Pray  Juan  Perez,  confessor  to  the  queen  had 
not  interested  themselves  in  softening  the  hearts  of  King  Fer- 
dinand and  Queen  Isabella,  and  even  furnished  17,000  ducats 
from  the  ecclesiastical  funds  in  order  to  provide  Columbus 
with  ships  and  other  necessaries  for  his  first  voyage.  Hernan 
Cortes  would  not  have  achieved  the  conquest  and  pacification 
of  the  great  Empire  of  the  Moctezumas,  from  1519  to  1521, 
nor  discovered  California  in  1539,  had  he  not  had  Father 
Lares  on  his  side,  in  Cuba,  who,  knowing  the  designs  of 
Velasquez,  governor  of  Cuba,  of  arresting  Cortes  in  the 
island  of  Trinidad  before  he  set  sail  on  the  conquest  of 
Mexico,  secretly  appraised  Cortes  of  what  Velasquez  was 
planning  against  him,  whereby  Cortes  was  enabled  to  hasten 
his  preparations  and  set  sail  before  Velasquez  could  imprison 
them;  and  even  the  final  triumph  might  not  have  been  secured 
without  the  prudent  co-operation  of  Father  Olmedo  during 
the  conquest.  Thus  it  was  that  the  civil  authorities  exercised 
a  mostexcellent  judgment  by  sendingalways  at  the  vanguard 
of  these  expeditions  learned  and  prominent  ecclesiastics. 

Fray  Niza  Leaves  Culiacan. 
Everything  being  in  readiness  Pray  Marcos  de  Niza  left 
Culiacan  on  the  7th  day  of  March,  1539,  accompanied,  as  we 
have  said,  by  another  Franciscan,  Fray  Onorato,  Estevanico 
and  some  Indians.  After  traveling  70  leagues  to  the  north  of 
San  Miguel,  Niza  and  his  men  arrived  at  the  Pueblo  of  Petat- 
Idn,  where  the  natives  were  already  expecting  him,  because 
they  had  received  beforehand  advices  of  his  coming  from 
Coronado.  It  was  at  Petatldn  that  Niza  had  his  first  expe- 
rience of  the  troubles  that  awaited  him.     Father  Onorato 


106  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

having  contracted  sickness,  Niza  was  obliged  to  leave  him  at 
Petatldn,  and  continued  his  journey  to  the  North  from  that 
point  with  Estevanico  and  the  other  Indians  Mendoza  had  sent 
from  Mexico  "and,  in  accordance  with  said  instruction,"  Niza 
tells  us,  "I  continued  my  journey  wherever  the  Holy  Ghost 
guided  me  without  ray  deserving  it."'  Of  the  receptions  given 
him  and  his  companions  on  his  way  to  Petatlan,  Niza  tells  us, 
"and  with  this  companionship  which  I  say  I  took  my  road  to- 
Petatlan  getting  on  the  road  mdny  receptions  and  presents 
of  food,  roses  and  other  things  of  this  kind,  and  houses  which 
they  made  for  me  out  of  palm  mats  and  branches  of  trees  in 
all  parts  where  there  was  no  settlement.'" 

Niza  and  his  men  continued  their  journey  northward  in  a 
parallel  line  along  the  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  California  until  they 
arrived  at  a  great  desert  between  which  and  Petatlan  he  had 
been  treated  with  great  consideration  and  respect  by  the 
indigenes,  who,  aside  from  serving  him  food,  told  him  that 
they  came  from  an  island  which  had  been  visited  by  a 
stranger  (California,  and  the  stranger  was  Hernan  Cortes, 
El  Marques  del  Valle,)  and  they  also  told  him  that  there 
were  thirty  other  smaller  islands  to  the  North,  but  that  only 
in  two  of  them  could  corn  be  found  to  eat.  "These  Indians," 
Niza  tells  us,  "carried  strings  of  shells  hanging  from  their 
necks,  among  which,  there  were  some  pearls,  and  I  showed 
them  a  pearl  that  I  carried  as  sample,  and  they  told  me  there 
were  some  like  that  in  the  islands,  but  I  saw  none  in  them." 

According  to  recent  explorations,  it  is  believed  that  the 
islands,  about  which  the  Indians  gave  Niza  information,  are 
the  ones  that  are  found  along  the  coast  of  Lower  California 
between  the  mouths  of  the  rivers  Mayo  and  Yaqui,  the  two 
principal  ones  being  known  by  the  name  of  "Tiburon"  Island, 
and  "Angel  de  la  Guarda"  Island,  from  which  it  is  seen  that 
Fray  Mdrcos  de  Niza  arrived  to  very  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Rio  Mayo.  After  travelling  for  four  days  into  the  interior  of 
the  desert  they  found  a  tribe  of  Indians  that  had  never  seen 
a  white  man  who  were  greatly  scared  at  seing  Niza,  calling 
him  "Sayota,"  which  signifies,  according  to  Niza,  "a  man 
descended  from  heaven. '"  This  tribe  could  not  have  been  other 
than  the  tribe  of  the  Pimas,  or  that  of  the  Yaquis,  as  Father 
Juan  Ortiz  Zapata,  S.  J.,  affirms  in   his   "Narrative   of  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  107 

missions  which  the  Society  of  Jesus  has  in  tlie  Kingdom  and 
Provinces  of  New  Viscay,  in  New  Spain,'"  lOTH  (documents  for 
the  History  of  Mexico  t.  3,  p.  78.)  Concurring  with  this 
theory  and  conclusion,  the  Historian  Kibas  tells  us  what 
follows,  speaking  of  Niza's  voyage  and  in  reference  to  the 
time  when  Niza  saw  those  Indians: 

"In  the  last  two  journeys  from  the  sea  the  famous  nation 

of  the  Hiaquis  is  settled When  the  Hiaquis  with  their 

people  inhabited  this  river  it  was  in  the  form  of  encampments 
stretched  along  its  banks.  And  their  tilled  lands  together 
with  the  number  of  these  encampments  must  have  been 
eighty  in  which  were  thirty  thousand  souls." 

These  same  Indians  told  Niza  that,  if  he  travelled  further 
north,  he  would  not  delay  much  in  coming  to  an  extensive  plain 
where  he  would  find  many  and  very  large  villages  in  which 
Indians  lived  who  cultivated  the  lands,  spun  and  wove  cotton 
which  they  gathered  from  plants,  and  the  wool  that  they 
clipped  from  the  back  of  certain  small  animals  which  they 
had  in  abundance,  and  that  from  the  textures  they  made 
coverings,  and  clothing  to  dress  themselves  with;  that  it  did 
not  look  like  the  cloth  in  which  Niza  was  clad;  that  they  also 
had  metallic  jewelry  which  they  put  on  their  ears  and  noses. 
Niza  referring  to  the  information  thus  given  by  the  Indians, 
says:  "And  I  have  no  more  news  than  that  they  told  me  that 
the  land  in  the  interior,  four  or  five  journeys,  where  the  chains 
of  mountains  end,  becomes  an  open  plain  and  of  much  land, 
in  which  they  told  me  there  were  many  and  very  large  towns 
and  in  them  are  people  dressed  in  cotton.  And,  showing 
them  some  metals  that  I  carried  myself  in  order  to  get  infor- 
mation about  the  metals  of  the  land,  they  took  the  gold  metal 
and  told  me  that  of  that  the  people  of  the  plain  have  vases 
and  that  they  carry  hanging  from  their  noses  and  ears 
certain  round  things  made  of  that  gold,  and  that  they  have 
certain  small  shovels  of  it  with  which  they  scrape  themselves^ 
and  take  away  their  sweat."  Niza  does  not  tell  whether  or 
not  he  visited  the  said  settlements,  but,  from  what  Ribas  says 
speaking  of  that  part  of  Niza's  voyage,  there  is  no  doubt  that 
they  were  the  Nebone  Indians,  or  the  ones  from  the  tribe  of  the 
Pimas;  and  that  their  settlements  were  found  in  what  forms 
today  the  state  of  Sonora,  for  they  were  along  a  large  river 


108  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

which  could  be  no  other  than  the  Yaqui.  Those  Indians, 
according  to  Ribas,  had  a  good  knowledge  of  the  science  of 
agriculture  for  they  planted  and  cultivated  their  lands  using 
the  water  of  said  river  for  irrigation,  and  they  dressed  in 
robes  of  cotton  and  woollen  cloth  and  of  wool  and  well  tanned 
skins  of  animals,  and  they  lived  in  houses  built  of  adobes  in 
the  form  of  watchtowers,  in  which  small  forts  were  seen 
well  constructed  in  order  to  defend  themselves  in  case  of 
attack  from  the  outside. 

The  next  point  about  which  Niza  speaks  to  us  is  a  pueblo 
to  which  he  came  towards  the  end  of  April,  after  having 
traveled  about  35  journeys,  which  is  called  according  to 
Niza,  by  the  Indians,  "Vacapa."'  In  that  pueblo  also  the 
Indians  cultivated  the  lands  raising  crops  of  corn,  beans,  and 
pumpkins  and  other  herbs,  whose  name  Niza  could  not  learn, 
Niza  and  his  men  remained  in  this  pueblo  a  very  short  time 
and  then  continued  his  journey  inland,  being  already  at  the 
extreme ^st  of  New  Mexico  and  very  far  in  of  what  forms 
today  the  Territory  of  Arizona;  until  he  met  an  Indian  en- 
campment well  provided  with  clothing  and  food  provisions, 
as  those  which  Niza  had  seen  before.  These  Indians  gave 
Niza  and  his  men  as  cordial  a  reception  as  had  been  given 
him  by  those  of  the  first  encampments  and  pueblos  through 
which  he  had  passed. 

Before  proceeding  further  with  the  journey,  it  must  be 
observed  that  Niza  had  sent  from  the  pueblo  of  Vacapa  the 
negro  Estevanico,  accompanied  by  some  Indians  of  the  ones 
brought  by  Niza,  to  go  after  the  manner  of  a  vanguard  in 
search  of  other  towns,  to  explore  the  land  to  the  north, 
■ordering  him  to  send  him  an  account  of  what  he  should  see, 
and  do,  by  means  of  the  Indians,  and  telling  him  that  he, 
Niza,  would  follow  him  very  closely.  "And  so  the  said  negro 
Estevan  left  me  on  Passion  Sunday  after  dinner,  staying  in 
this  town  that  I  say  is  called  "Vacapa."'  According  to  Niza's 
account,  the  Indians  treated  Estevanico  with  as  marked  a 
deference  as  they  did  Fray  Marcos,  himself,  considering 
them  as  supernatural  beings, — another  circumstance  which 
agrees  with  the  opinion  of  the  author  of  this  work  to  the 
effect  that  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Dorantes,  Castillo,  and  Estevanico 
had,  in   fact,  passed   through  these   regions,  as  in  no  other 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  109' 

way  can  the  conduct  of  the  Indians  be  explained  except  by 
attributing  it  to  the  cures  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  performed 
among  them  when  they  passed  througli  there  a  little  less 
than  three  years  before  this  date.  The  good  disposition  with 
which  the  Indians  were  receiving  the  religious  instructions 
which  Fray  Niza  was  continually  giving  them  must  be  attrib- 
uted to  the  good  treatment  which  was  given  them  by  Cabeza 
de  Vaca. 

That  the  reader  may  form  an  idea  of  the  lack  of  exactness 
of  many  of  the  English-speaking  historians,  which  must  be 
attributed  to  bad  translations  rather  than  to  their  intention 
of  deceiving  the  candid  reader,  I  am  going  to  cite  one,  among 
the  many  cases  wherein  said  translators  have  distorted  his- 
tory. We  have  already  seen,  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs  in 
this  chapter,  how  Father  Onerato,  after  contracting  sickness 
at  the  pueblo  of  Petatldn,  turned  back  from  that  place,  Fray 
Niza,  accompanied  by  Estevanico,  the  negro,  and  the  Indians 
mentioned  continuing  the  journey.  Now  let  the  reader  take 
notice  of  what  George  Parker  Winship  says,  in  his  work 
entitled  "The  Journey  of  Coronado,'"  quoting  Castafieda. 
Referring  to  the  orders  which  Niza  gave  to  Estevan,  the 
negro,  when  he  sent  him  from  Vacapa  to  explore  regions 
says  (translation)  "after  the  negro  had  separated  from  the 
friars  he  thought  of  taking  to  himself  all  the  credit  and 
honor.'"  It  is  clear,  then,  that  that  could  not  have  been  as 
Winship  relates  it,  and  as  do  many  other  Anglo-Saxon 
writers  who  copy  the  same  error  from  his  work,  and  who, 
taking  his  account  as  viridical,  have  reproduced  it  just  as 
Winship  gives  it,  among  others  the  author  of  the  "History 
of  New  Mexico,  Illustrated,"  published  by  the  "Pacific 
States  Publishing  Company,"  in  1907;  while,  with  what  we 
have  reproduced  from  Niza's  own  work,  "Relacion,"  we  have 
proved  that  when  Niza  sent  Estevanico  from  the  pueblo  of 
Vacapa  there  were  no  more  friars  than  himself,  Niza. 

After  having  traveled  a  few  days  Estevanico  began  to  find 
large  Indian  settlements,  and  to  look  at  many  things  that 
astonished  him;  wherefore  he  deemed  it  prudent  to  send  Niza 
an  account  in  which  he  was  told  that  he  had  come  to  the 
province  with  Seven  Cities  and  many  other  new  things.  He, 
therefore,  sent  two  Indians  to  Vacapa  with  the  account  for 


110  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Niza,  together  with  a  very  large  wooden  cross,  and  telling 
Niza  that  he  must  follow  him  immediately,  for  the  inhabitants 
of  those  cities  told  him  wonderful  things  of  what  could  be 
discovered  in  the  interior,  and,  in  order  to  prove  his  words, 
sent  him  an  Indian  from  those  of  the  "Seven  Cities"  telling 
him  that  he,  Estevanico,  was  at  more  than  25  journeys  from 
Vacapa  and  giving  him  detailed  information  of  the  things 
which  he  saw  in  said  "cities,'"  how  the  inhabitants  in  said 
"Seven  Cities'"  were  dressed  and  governed.  Niza  would  not, 
perhaps,  have  believed  the  story  of  Estevanico  had  it  not  been 
corroborated  by  three  Indians  of  another  nation  who  arrived 
where  he  was  on  the  same  daj''  in  which  the  emissaries  of 
Estevanico  came.  These  three  Indians  also  gave  Niza  inform- 
ation in  regard  to  the  said  "Seven  Cities.'"  Niza  propounded 
many  questions  to  the  Indian  Estevanico  had  sent  from  the 
"Seven  Cities:'"  "And  in  order  to  know  from  him  how  he 
knew  it,  we  had  many  questions  and  many  answers,  and  I 
found  him  very  consistent.*' 

Before  reaching  a  decision  to  continue  the  voyage,  Niza 
thought  first  of  giving  thanks  to  God,  because  he  was  now 
beholding  the  realization  of  his  dreams.  Providence  opening 
to  him  the  way  for  the  christianization  of  thousands  of  souls. 
It  was  on  this  occasion  that  the  word  "Cibola"  was  first 
pronounced  which  was  the  name  the  Indians  of  those  districts 
gave  to  the  province  of  the  so-called  "Seven  Cities,"'  which 
were  nothing  else  than  seven  Indian  Pueblos  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Pueblo  of  Zuiii  of  which  Zuni  was  the  chief  one  as  the 
reader  will  see  it  in  Coronado's  narrative  in  another  chapter 
of  this  work,  although  some  writers  of  recent  date,  among 
them  the  Archaeologists  Cushing  and  Bandelier,  assert  that 
the  word  "Cibola"  must  not  be  applied  to  the  said  seven 
pueblos  collectively  or  singly,  deriving  the  word  from  other 
sources.  Ethnologists,  however,  are  not  wanting  who  attirm 
that  the  word  "Cibola"  signifies  the  seven  pueblos  of  Zuni. 
But  whatever  the  contention  among  ethnologists  and  archaeo- 
logists may  be,  it  is  not  of  such  importance  that  much  time 
and  many  words  should  be  wasted  in  debating  the  term 
"Cibola."  For  the  purposes  of  history  it  is  sufficient  to  know 
that  "Cibola"  and  the  "Seven  Cities"  were  for  Niza  and 
Estevanico  one  and  the  same  thing,  and  that  the  cities  referred 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  Ill 

to  were  neither  more  nor  less  than  the  seven  Pueblos  of  Zufii. 
Such  being  Niza's  understanding  of  it,  and  Easter  being  now 
past,  he  conrinued  on  his  way,  accompanied  by  his  Indians, 
and  other  Indians  who  had  joined  him,  towards  the  lands  of 
Cibola,  reaching  at  the  end  of  three  journeys  an  Indian 
encampment  where  he  was  also  told  that  Cibola  was  a 
province,  with  many  pueblos,  and  that  it  was  not  very  far 
from  there  adding  that  still  beyond  Cibola  there  were  other 
large  and  numerous  pueblos  which  were  called  "Marata," 
*'Acusa"  and  'Totonteac,'"  where  they  were  accustomed  to  go 
often  to  trade  with  the  inhabitants  of  those  pueblos  from 
whence  they  brought  turquoises  and  many  other  things  that 
were  to  be  found  in  those  pueblos.  These  Indians  believing 
that  Niza  possessed  the  faculty  of  healing  the  sick,  as  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  had  done,  brought  to  him  many  sick  persons  to  be 
cured.  "And  they  brought  me  the  sick  to  cure,  and  tried  to 
touch  the  vestments  with  which  I  read  the  gospel.  They  gave 
me  some  cowhides  so  well  tanned  and  adorned  that  they 
seemed  made  by  men  of  much  culture,  and  all  said  they  came 
from  Cibola." 

Niza  continued  his  journey  following  the  advice  of  the 
Indians  whom  he  daily  met  with,  traveling  for  several  days 
between  mountains  and  plains  though  there  are  historians 
who  state  that  he  travelled  along  the  bank  of  the  Sonora 
River,  but  such  authors  do  not  explain  how  it  was  that,  if 
Niza  was  travelling  beside  that  river,  he  makes  no  mention  of 
it  nor  of  the  lands  watered  by  said  river.  On  the  eighth  day 
Niza  reached  a  large  town  which  seemed  to  him  of  sufficient 
importance  to  take  possession  of  and  he  did  so,  as  he  tells 
us:  "Here  I  set  up  two  crosses  and  took  possession  in 
accordance  with  the  instruction,  because  that  land  appeared 
to  me  better  than  the  one  remaining  behind,  and  that  it  was 
fitting  thence  to  make  the  act  (auto)  of  possession.'*  Thence 
he  continued  travelling  northward  without  meeting  with  any 
Indian  pueblos,  but  with  many  encampments  where  the 
Indians  lived  scattered  in  houses,  the  last  one  of  which  lay 
beside  a  rivulet  where  Niza  halted  as  guest,  because  there 
were  there  more  inhabitants,  four  days  after  he  had  beenatthe 
first  encampment.  "The  next  day  I  entered  the  wilderness, 
and  where  food  was  to  be  had,  I  found  ranches  and  plenty  to 


112  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

eat;  close  to  a  creek  at  nightfall  I  found  houses  and  also  food 
and  so  I  had  it  four  days  I  was  in  the  wilderness."  In  this^ 
pueblo  Niza  noticed  that  the  indigenes  observed  his  gray  cloth 
habit  very  closely  touching  it  with  their  hands  wherefore 
the  following  conversation  which  Niza  relates  to  us  took  place 
between  himself  and  the  indigenes: 

"And  I  wore  a  dress  of  gray  cloth  called  Saragosa,  which 
Francisco  de  Coronado.  governor  of  New  Galicia,  ordered  for 
me;  and  the  lord  of  this  pueblo  and  other  Indians  touched  the 
habit  with  their  hands  and  said  to  me  that  there  was  of  that 
(stuff)  in  Totonteac  and  that  the  natives  there  dressed  in  it,  at 
which  I  laughed  and  said  if  it  was  not  of  those  cotton  robes 
which  they  wore  and  they  told  me:  "Do  you  think  that  we 
do  not  know  that  what  you  wear  and  what  we  wear  is  different? 
Know,  then,  that  in  Cibola  all  the  houses  are  full  of  this 
clothing  that  we  wear;  but  in  Totonteac  there  are  some  small 
animals  from  which  they  clip  that  from  which  this  (stuff) 
that  you  wear  is  made.  I  was  astonished,  because  I  had  not 
heard  any  such  thing  until  I  arrived  here,  and  desired  to  be 
informed  very  particularly  about  it,  and  they  told  me  that 
the  animals  are  of  the  size  of  the  greyhounds  of  Castile  that 
Estevan  carried  along.  They  say  that  there  are  many  of 
them  in  Totonteac.  I  could  not  ascertain  what  species  of  ani- 
mals they  were.*' 

From  this  it  may  be  inferred  that  those  Indians  kept 
domesticated  sheep  or  there  was  an  abundance  of  wild  ones  in 
those  mountains.  At  least,  no  other  conclusion  can  be  drawn. 
So  far  as  the  conduct  of  Estevanico  was  concerned,  Niza  was 
beginning  to  feel  somewhat  anxious,  for,  although  Estevanico 
daily  sent  him  emissaries  informing  him  of  all  he  was  doing 
and  seeing,  and,  although  he,  further,  left,  in  all  the  points 
through  which  Niza  had  to  pass,  everything  prepared  before- 
hand for  the  reception  of  Niza,  he,  Estevanico,  had  extended 
his  voyage  beyond  what  he  was  permitted  to  do  by  Niza's 
instructions.  Yet  Niza  cherished  the  hope  of  again  seeing 
Estevanico,  and  with  that  object  in  view  he  hastened  his  steps 
until  he  reached  another  Indian  village  in  which  he  found  out 
that  its  inhabitants  had  very  good  knowledge  of  the  riches  of 
Cibola,  of  the  customs  of  its  inhabitants,  the  architecture  of 


ir.LUSTHATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MPLXICO.  113 

their  dwellings;  they  gave  him  similar  information  about  the 
pueblo  of  Totonteac.  Describinc?  his  conversation  with  those 
Indians  Niza  tell  us: 

"There  was  as  much  talk  here  about  Cibola  as  in  New  Spain 
about  Mexico,  and  in  Peru  about  Cuzco,  and  they  related  as 
particularly  the  style  of  its  houses,  and  streets  and  squares 
as  persons  that  had  been  there  many  times,  and  that  they 
brought  from  there  the  fine  things  that  they  had  gained  by 
their  labor,  as  those  behind.  I  told  them  that  it  was  not 
possible  that  the  houses  should  be  of  the  style  they  said;  to 
make  me  understand  it,  they  took  earth  and  ashes  and  poured 
water  on  them,  and  showed  me  in  what  manner  they  placed 
the  stones  and  how  they  raised  the  building  up  by  putting 
together  that  (earth  and  ashes)  and  the  stones  till  they  raised 
it  high;  I  asked  if  the  men  had  wings  to  go  up  to  those  lofts; 
they  laughed,  and  pointed  to  the  ladder  as  w^ell  as  I  could 
point  to  it,  and  they  would  take  a  stick  and  place  it  over  their 
heads  and  said  that  such  w^as  the  height  from  loft  to  loft. 
I  had  here  also  information  of  the  wool  cloth  of  Totonteac 
and  they  say  that  the  houses  are  like  those  of  Cibola  and 
better  and  many  more,  and  that  it  is  a  very  large  city  and 
has  no  end." 

Niza  Leaves  His  Road  and  Marches  in  Search  of  the  South  Sea. 

Prom  this  point,  Niza  tells  us,  on  a-^count  of  the  Indians 
having  informed  him  that  the  coast  of  the  sea  turned  around 
those  nearby  places,  he  made  his  voyage,  without  loss  of 
time,  to  ascertain  the  veracity  of  the  Indians,  with  the  result 
he  indicates: 

"Here  I  learned  that  the  coast  turns  sharply  to  the  west, 
for,  as  far  as  this  first  wild  country  that  I  crossed,  the  coast 
was  always  pushing  into  the  north;  and  as  it  is  a  thing  that 
matters  a  good  deal  (to  know)  if  the  coast  turns,  I  wanted  to 
know  it,  and  so  I  went  in  search  of  it,  and  I  saw  clearly  that 
at  35  degrees  it  turns  to  the  west  of  which  I  had  no  less  joy 
than  of  the  good  news  of  the  land." 

After  returning  from  the  coast  to  the  villa  from  which  he 
had  started,  he  stayed  there  for  a  short  time,  undertaking 
again  the   voyage   with  firm   determination  not  to  stop  until 


114  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

he  got  to  Cibola,  which  was  distant  from  there  about  15  or  20 
journeys,  which  he  commenced  to  travel,  as  he  says  himself: 

"The  three  days  having  passed,  a  great  many  people  got 
together  in  order  to  go  with  me  from  whom  I  took  as  many 
as  thirty  of  the  chiefs,  very  well  dressed  with  the  turquoise 
collars  which  some  of  them  wore  turned  six  times  around 
(their  necks);  and  together  with  these  I  took  the  necessary 
people  for  carrying  the  food  for  them  and  me,  and  1  took  the 
road." 

This  must  have  been  on  the  tirst  days  of  the  month  of  May, 
for  on  the  last  day  of  that  month,  Niza,  being  almost  at  the 
gates  of  the  land  of  Cibola,  received  very  bad  news  brought 
to  him  by  some  Indians  of  the  ones  who  had  gone  with  Este- 
vanico,  who  told  him  that  Estevani^o  and  his  men  had  arrived 
in  Cibola,  but  that  because  he  had  misbehaved  with  the 
Indians  of  those  lands,  the  inhabitants  of  Cibola  had  assas- 
sinated him  together  with  many  of  his  companions.  About 
the  tragic  end  of  Estevanico  the  same  Indians  said  that 
when  Estevanico  and  his  men  had  arrived  in  Cibola  he  had 
sent  to  the  chief  of  the  town  a  pumpkin  as  sj^mbol  of  peace, 
and  requesting  to  be  received  in  the  town,  but  that  the  chief 
had  refused  to  receive  him  ordering  him  not  to  arrive  at  the 
town  under  penalty  of  his  own  destruction,  but  that  Este- 
vanico, in  spite  of  the  answer  of  the  chief,  kept  on  ahead,  till 
he  came  to  the  edge  of  the  town,  to  which  they  did  not  allow 
him  to  enter,  taking  away  from  him  whatever  he  had  with 
him;  that  the  next  day  they  had  attacked  Estevanico  and  his 
men  killing  many  of  them,  among  whom  was  Estevanico. 

This  unexpected  news  greatly  saddened  Niza,  but,  wishing 
to  become  satisfied  of  what  had  happened,  continued  the 
journey,  and,  when  he  had  traveled  for  one  day,  he  met  other 
messengers  who  came  fleeing,  and  who  confirmed  the  tirst 
news,  whereof  he  shed  tears  of  grief  as  he  himself  relates  it 
in  these  words: 

"And  going  along  our  road,  a  day's  journey  from  Cibola, 
we  met  two  other  Indians  of  the  ones  who  had  gone  with 
Estevan  who  were  coming  all  smeared  with  blood  and  with 
many  wounds,  and  as  they  arrived,  both  they  and  those  who 
were  with  me  commenced  to  weep  so  much,  that  out  of  pity 
and  fear  they   made  me  cry  also;  and   the  voices   were  so 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  115 

many  that  they  did  not  allow  me  t(>  inquire  for  Esteban,  nor 
what  had  happened  to  them,  and  I  pleaded  with  them  to  be 
still  that  one  might  know  what  had  passed  and  they  said  how 
could  they  be  still,  since  they  knew  that  out  of  their  parents, 
•children  and  brothers  more  than  three  hundred  men  were 
dead  of  those  who  went  with  Estevan.  And  that  they  would 
not  dare  to  go  to  Cibola  as  they  used  to." 

All  that,  notwithstanding,  and  the  danger  to  which  he  was 
exposing  his  life  Niza  continued  his  voyage  accompanied  by 
a  few  Indians  who  came  with  him,  with  the  object  of  seeing 
with  his  own  eyes  the  so  much  lauded  magnificence  of  the 
land  of  Cibola,  a  thing  he  did  by  arriving  at  a  high  hill  from 
which  he  could  see  the  mentioned  city.  Let  us  hear  him 
relate  himself  the  impression  which  Cibola  made  on  him: 

"With  which  and  with  my  Indians  and  tongues  I  continued 
on  my  way  so  far  as  to  get  a  sight  of  Cibola  which  is  situated 
■on  a  plain  by  the  side  of  a  round  mound.  It  has  a  very  tine 
pueblo  appearance,  the  best  I  have  seen  in  these  parts;  the 
houses  are  after  the  style  the  Indian  told  me,  all  of  stone 
with  lofts  and  roofs,  so  it  appeared  to  me  from  the  hill  top 
■on  which  I  stopped  to  see  it.  The  population  is  larger  than 
that  of  the  City  of  Mexico;  sometimes  I  was  tempted  to  go 
and  see  it,  because  I  knew  that  I  risked  only  my  life,  and 
this  I  offered  to  God  the  day  I  commenced  the  journey.  At 
last  I  feared,  considering  my  peril,  that  if  I  died,  no  infor- 
mation could  be  had  of  this  land,  w^hich,  in  my  opinion,  is  the 
largest  and  best  of  all  the  ones  discovered.'" 

Niza  Takes  Possession;  and  Gives  the  Province  its  First  Name. 
After  admiring  the  grandeurs  of  Cibola,  Niza  took  formal 
possession  of  the  province  of  Cibola,  and,  together  with  it,  of 
Totontiac  and  other  pueblos  which  he  had  till  then  discovered 
making  a  mound  of  rocks  among  which  he  placed  a  wooden 
cross  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Spain  giving  to  the  lands 
thus  discovered  the  name  of  "New  Kingdom  of  San  Fran- 
cisco,"'and  returning  thence  by  hurried  journeys  to  Culiacan 
without  stopping  at  any  other  place  till  he  reached  the  City  of 
Mexico,  where  he  arrived  accompanied  by  Coronado  on  the 
tirst  days  of  the  month  of  September  1539,  giving  Viceroy 
Mendoza  the  narrative  to  which  we  have  all  along  been  refer- 


116  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ring.  That  Cibola  was  the  pueblo  of  Zuni  there  is  no  doubt  as 
it  is  so  proved  by  Coronado  who  tells  us  in  his  narrative  that 
it  was  there  that  Estevanico  was  killed. 

There  is  nothing  noteworthy  or  extraordinary  in  Niza's 
voyage  to  Cibola,  nor  is  it  seen  that  any  advantage  from  such 
a  voyage  resulted  either  to  religion  or  to  the  King.  On  the 
contrary  the  woeful  end  of  Estevanico  and  the  great  mortality 
which  the  indigenes  of  Cibola  caused  on  the  Indians  that 
accompanied  Estevanico  is  the  only  incident  which  gave  to 
Niza's  voyage  the  historical  value  it  enjoys;  as  for  the  rest, 
it  was  as  void  of  fruit,  as  the  one  made  a  year  before,  a  little 
more  or  less,  by  Fray  Juan  de  la  Asuncion  to  Gila,  and  of 
which  Niza  makes  no  mention  either  directly  or  indirectly, 
doing  thus  a  grave  injustice  to  Father  Asuncion  by  his  omis- 
sion to  say  anything  about  him. 

Cortes  Giaims  the  Honor. 

In  spite  of  there  being  not  much  glory,  as  we  have  said,  in 
the  voyage  of  Niza,  even  he,  Niza,  had  to  undergo  the  effects 
of  envy,  on  knowing  that  the  Marquis  of  El  Valle,  the  con- 
queror of  Mexico,  Hernan  Cortes,  accused  him  of  lying, 
claimingthattohim,  Cortes,  belonged  the  honorof  having  dis- 
covered the  lands  of  Cibola,  and  charging  Niza  of  being  an 
imposter.  The  rabid,  cruel,  and  unfounded  accusation  of 
Cortes  is  as  follows: 

"And  at  the  time  I  came  from  the  land  the  said  Fray  Mar- 
cos spoke  with  me  while  I  was  at  New  Spain  and  I  gave  him 
information  of  this  said  land  and  the  discovery  of  the  same, 
because  I  had  in  mind  sending  him  in  my  vessels  in  search 
and  conquest  of  said  coast  and  land,  because  it  seemed  as 
though  he  understood  something  of  the  things  pertaining  to 
navigation;  the  said  friar  communicated  this  to  the  viceroy, 
and  with  his  leave,  it  is  said,  he  went  by  land  in  pursuit  of 
the  same  coast  and  land  which  I  had  discovered  and  which 
was  and  is  of  my  conquest;  and  after  the  said  friar  returned 
he  published,  it  is  said,  that  he  came  in  sight  of  said  land; 
which  I  deny  he  has  seen  and  discovered;  the  said  friar  has 
rather  said  and  says  that  what  he  relates  to  have  seen  was 
through  the  narrative  I  made  him  of  the  information  that  I 
had   from   the  Indians  I  brought   from  said  land  of  Santa 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO  117 

Cruz;  for,  all  that  said  friar  is  said  to  relate,  is  the  same 
thing  the  Indians  told  me:  and  in  having  put  himself  for- 
ward in  this  matter,  the  said  Fr.  Marcos  feigning  and  relat- 
ing what  he  does  not  know  nor  saw,  he  did  no  new  thing, 
for  he  has  done  it  many  other  times,  and  it  is  his  habit,  as  is 
well  known,  notorious  in  the  provinces  of  Peru  and  Guate- 
mala,  and  this  court  will  be  sufficiently  informed  of  it,  if  it 
be  necessary." 

The  weight  of  Cortes'  word  had  for  a  long  while  the  effect 
which  he  desired  (although  Cortes  knew  in  his  conscience 
that  the  accusation  which  he  brought  against  Niza  was  noth- 
ing but  a  malicious  calumny)  as  there  were  many  who 
believed  it  and  reproduced  it  everywhere,  exposing  thus  the 
good  name  of  Fray  Niza  to  the  censure  and  curses  of  many, 
until,  unable  to  remain  longer  in  silence.  Father  Niza  appealed 
to  his  superior  in  order  to  be  able  to  prove  the  truth  of  his 
narrative,  and  vindicate  his  honor  both  of  which  Cortes  was 
assailing.  At  this  period  the  superior  or  provincial  of  the 
Seraphic  order  in  Mexico  was  Fray  Antonio  de  Ciudad 
Rodrigo,  who  emphatically  and  deservedly  gave  Cortes  the 
lie  by  publishing  a  document  in  which  he  says: 

"I  say  that  it  is  true  that  I  sent  Fra  Marcos  de  Niza,  priest, 
friar,  presbyter,  and  religious  and  such  in  all  virtue  and 
religion  that  he  was,  by  me  and  my  brothers,  the  selected 
deputies,  to  consult  on  arduous  and  difficult  matters,  approved 
and  held  tit  and  sufficient  to  make  this  journey  and  discovery, 
as  much  on  account  of  the  above  said  sufficiency  of  hisperson, 
as  well  us  on  account  of  his  learning  not  only  in  theology  but 
also  in  cosmography  and  in  the  maritime  art." 

The  author  requests  the  reader  to  tix  his  mind  on  the  his- 
torical dates  which  he  has  already  read  in  this  work.  The 
voyage  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions  (1535-36);  the 
voyage  of  Fray  Juan  de  Asuncion  (lo38);  the  voyage  of  Fray 
Marcos  de  Niza  (1539);  of  which  we  treated  in  this  chapter, 
and  the  dates  of  the  voyages  of  Coronado  (1540);  Fray  Ruiz, 
(4-e02);  Antonio  de  Espejo,  (l5&3);  Humana,  (1585);  Onate, 
(1597);  Expulsion  of  Otermin  (1680);  and  entry  of  De  Vargas, 
(1692),  which  he  will  read  in  the  subsequent  chapters,  so  he 
may  be  able  better  to  analyze  with  the  author  the  discrepan- 
cies to  all  appearances  irreconcilable  between  the  works  we 


118  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

have  already  cited  and  those  of  Juan  Bautista  Pino,  (an 
illustrious  son  of  New  Mexico  during  the  governments- of 
Spain  and  Mexico),  "Noticias  Historicas,"  that  of  Don  An- 
tonio Barreiro,  "Ojeada  sobre  Nuevo  Mejico,"and  that  of 
Don  Jose  Agustin  Escudero,  "Estadistica  de  Varios  Esta- 
dos,"  all  of  them  authors  of  renown,  with  respect  to  what 
they  affirm  attributing  to  Ruiz  the  discovery  of  New  Mexico: 
saying  that  the  Indian  insurrection  in  New  Mexico  was  in 
1644,  that  De  Vargas  reconquered  New  Mexico  in  1624,  or 
twenty  years  before  the  expulsion  or  retreat  of  Otermin 
according  to  Pino. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Futile  Efforts  of  Nuno  Beltran  de  Guzman  to  Discover  Cibola — Founda- 
tion of  Culiacan  and  the  Province  of  New  Galicia  by  Cuzman  — 
Tradition  Concerning  the  "Seven  Cities  "-  Diego  de  la  Torre 
Successor  to  Cuzman  —  Coronado  Successor  to  Diego  de  la  Torre — 
Mendoza  Undertakes  the  Discovery  of  Cibola — Coronado  and  His 
Expedition — The  Result  and  Return  of  the  Expedition — All  of  it 
a  Failure — Fathers  Juan  de  Padilla  and  Juan  de  La  Cruz,  the 
First  Martyrs  of  New  Mexico. 


In  Chapter  IV  the  name  of  Nuno  de  Guzman  is  frequently 
mentioned  as  the  official  who  was  in  charge  of  the  province 
of  New  Galicia.  He  was,  in  fact,  the  founder  and  conqueror 
of  that  province,  although  Hernan  Cortes  claimed,  as  he  had 
in  the  case  of  the  voyage  of  Fray  Niza,  the  glory  of  having 
been  himself  the  discoverer  of  the  territory  of  New  Galicia, 
from  which  the  result  was  that  the  enmity  between  Guzman 
and  Cortes  became  mortal,  for  the  reason  that  in  1522 
Guzman  was  one  of  Cortes"  accusers  in  the  celebrated  case 
in  which  Cortes  was  tried  in  the  City  of  Mexico  for  the  crime 
of  having  strangulated  his  wife  (an  accusation  which  neither 
Guzman,  nor  the  other  enemies  of  Cortes  were  able  to  prove.) 
The  reader  must  know  the  history  of  Guzman  with  reference 
to  the  discovery  and  colonization  of  New  Galicia  for  the 
reason  that  New  Galicia  had  been  one  of  the  principal  start- 
ing points  for  the  first  voyages  that  were  made  for  the  dis- 
covery, conquest,  and  colonization  of  New  Mexico. 

Very  few  historians  give  us  the  full  name  of  Guzman,  all 
being  satistied  with  calling  him  only  Nuno  de  Guzman;  his 
full  name,  however,  was  '-NuQo  Beltrdn  de  Guzman".  With 
this  explanation  the  reader  will  know  of  whom  it  is  spoken 
in  the  histories  when  he  reads  this  name  in  full  or  partially. 

In  1526  Guzman  received  his  appointment  as  governor  of 
Pdnuco  taking  charge  of  the  office  the  next  year:  at  the  end 
of  the  same  year  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  presi- 
dent of  the  tribunal  of  the  "Audiencia"'.  As  president  he 
was  cruel,  despotic,  and  tyrannous  against  the  poor  natives 


120  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

whom  he  not  only  illtreated, but, after  making  them  slaves, sold 
them  as  animals.  His  conduct  in  that  particular  caused 
general  indignation,  a  powerful  protest  being  raised  against 
him  in  which  Bishop  Zumdrraga  was  a  prominent  figure. 
The  protest  was  sent  directly  to  the  king,  and  Guzman,  in 
the  interim,  arrogated  to  himself  the  authority  of  an 
authorized  discoverer,  raising  an  army  of  20,000  men  com- 
posed of  Aztec  and  Tlascalan  Indians  and  400  Spaniards  with 
which,  by  his  own  accord,  he  left  Mexico  in  the  fall  of  1529 
to  explore  the  regions  of  the  extreme  north  of  New  Spain, 
or  the  land  of  the  "Seven  Cities"  which  Cor'ies  claimed  to 
have  previously  discovered. 

Throughout  all  his  march  to  the  North  he  desolated  the 
settlements  and  plantations  of  the  Indians  and  punished  them 
severely  and  inhumanly.  In  this  manner  he  conquered  a 
great  portion  of  the  territory  till  he  reached  the  site  where 
the  City  of  Guadalajara  now  stands.  There  he  built  a  villa 
giving  the  place  the  name  of  Tonala.  Next  he  founded  the 
towns  of  Santiago  de  Compostelaand  San  Miguel  in  Culiacan, 
and  the  Villa  of  Tepic  in  what  is  today  the  State  of  Sinaloa. 
Satisfied  with  what  he  had  thus  far  done,  he  returned  in  1531 
to  Mexico  where  he  met  with  a  new  "audiencia"'  which  called 
him  to  account  for  his  conduct;  but  he  refused,  wherefore 
Hernan  Cortes,  who  was  at  the  time  governor  of  the  province, 
sent  Captain  Luis  de  Castillo  to  arrest  him,  but  Guzman  by  a 
clever  trick  not  only  captured  Castillo,  but  made  him  and  all 
his  force  which  consisted  of  100  men,  prisoners.  In  1523  he 
was  destituted  of  the  title  of  governor  of  Panuco,  but  it  seems, 
notwithstanding,  that  he  continued  acting  as  said  governor  to 
1536,  for  we  have  already  seen  in  the  preceding  chapter  that 
he  was  governing  New  Galicia  when  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his 
companions  arrived  at  Culiacan  in  1536.  Eight  years  after 
that  expedition,  Guzman  was  imprisoned  and  punished,  Don 
Diego  de  la  Torre  succeeding  to  the  command.  Diego  de  la 
Torre  was  succeeded  by  Francisco  Vasquez  C(>ronado  as 
governor  of  New  Galicia. 

The  narrative  which  Niza  made  of  his  voyage  caused  a  great 
deal  of  animation  in  the  viceroy  and  inhabitants  of  the  city, 
and,  according  to  Suarez  de  Peralta,  "the  hubbub  was  such 
that  nothing  else   was  spoken  of The  greed  which  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  TJl 

news  of  the  Seven  Cities  infused  into  all  was  so  great  that  not 
only  the  viceroy  and  the  Marquis  raised  their  feet  to  go  tliere, 
but  all  the  land,  and  so  much  so  that  the  soldiers  sought  as  a 
favor  to  go  there,  and  got  the  due  permission;  and  it  was  such 
that  they  sold  it  among  themselves  without  thinking  if  the 
one  who  had  it  but  that  it  was  already  a  title  at  least,  because 
the  friar,  who  had  come  from  there,  so  recommended  it  that 
he  said  it  was  the  best  thing  there  was  in  the  world.  Accord- 
ing as  he  painted  it,  it  must  have  been  the  terrestrial  paradise 
In  all  this  he  said  the  truth." 

Mendoza  became  so  enthused  with  Niza's  narration  that  on 
the  moment  he  determined  to  form  a  new  and  formidable 
■expedition  causing  by  means  of  his  prestige,  the  promotion  of 
Fray  Marcos  Niza  to  the  position  of  superior  provincial  of  the 
FranciscanFriarsandin  obtainingpermissionfrom  thatorder, 
that  Niza  should  go  out  again  with  the  expedition  as  chaplain. 
It  did  not  take  long  to  fit  up  an  army  of  300  Spaniards  and  800 
Indians;  among  the  Spaniards  there  were  many  of  noble  de- 
scent,little  or  nothing  used  to  military  lifeand  the  inclemency 
of  the  weather,  wherefore  they  suffered  untold  hardships,  as 
will  be  afterwards  seen.  Don  Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado 
was  appointed  captain  general  of  the  expedition,  but  the 
appointment  of  Coronado  was  not  received  with  satisfaction 
neither  by  the  army  nor  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital, 
at  least,  so  says  Castaneda: 

"He  (Mendoza)  paid  more  attention  to  private  business 
than  to  the  high  responsibilities  of  his  official  position,  and 
so  it  was  that  he  decided  on  selecting  Coronado,  not  on 
account  of  any  merits  Coronado  had,  but  rather  on  account 
of  his  influence,  as  a  relative  to  the  family  of  Alonzo  de 
Estrada,  as  we  have  seen,  who,  it  is  said,  is  a  son  of  his 
Catholic  majesty,  Don  Fernando.  When  this  narrative  closes 
it  will  be  seen  that  he  lacked  both  judgment  and  good  tact." 

Pedro  de  Alvarado  Figures  in  Coronado's  Entry. 

Mendoza  believed,  indeed,  that  the  riches  of  New  Mexico 
were  really  fabulous,  and  that,  in  order  to  remove  any  secret 
ambitions  of  Cortes,  it  was  necessary  to  employ  some 
sagacity  by  selecting,  besides  Coronado,  the  dearest  of 
Oort^s'  captains,  or  Don  Pedro  de  Alvarado,  who  had  also 


122  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

made  some  efforts  to  discover  and  conquer  the  territory  in 
question.  Owing  to  his  wonderful  tact  and  his  unequalled 
sagacity  he  was  able  to  get  what  he  desired,  and  he  organ- 
ized a  company  consisting  of  himself,  Coronado  and  Pedro 
de  Alvarado.  The  contract,  made  at  the  village  of  Tiripitio 
begins  with  these  words:  "In  the  name  of  God,  Amen:  let 
it  be  patent  to  all  that  the  present  letter  of  partnership 
might  see  how  at  the  pueblo  of  Tiripitio,  of  New  Spain,  on 
Monday,  the  twenty-ninth  day  of  the  month  of  November, 
of  the  birth  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  the  year  One 
Thousand  Five  Hundred  and  Forty,  there  being  present  the 
very  illustrious  lord,  Don  Antonio  de  Mendoza,  viceroy  and 
governor  by  H.  M.  in  this  New  Spain,  and  president  of  his 
Royal  Audience  who  resides  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  the 
very  magnificent  lord  Adelantado  Don  Pedro  de  Alvarado,  gov- 
ernor by  H.M.  of  the  Provinces  of  Guatemala  and  Honduras." 
After  describing  the  things  that  were  expected  on  Alvarado's 
part,  in  the  discovery  that  should  be  made  in  the  "Merced 
de  Sur"  (Southern  Grant)  the  contract  recites  that  the  said 
lord  viceroy  has  sent  Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado,  gov- 
ernor and  captain  general  of  New  Galicia,  in  the  name  of 
H.  M.,  by  land,  with  men  on  foot  and  on  horseback  and 
ammunitions  and  provisions,  to  bring  to  the  service  of  God 
(sic)  and  of  H.  M.  the  lands  and  provinces  and  peoples  that 
Father  Fra  Marcos  de  Niza  and  others,  sent  by  his  lordship, 
discovered.'"  According  to  the  contract,  Mendoza  was  to 
receive  "the  third  part,"  Coronado  was  satisfied  "with  the 
gratification  and  grant  in  conformity  with  his  services," 
that  the  King  "should  vouchsafe"  to  make  him,  and,  from 
that  compensation,  Coronado  had  to  give  to  Alvarado  "the 
fifth  part  of  all  in  the  profits  in  what  is  thus  done  to  pacify 
and  discover  the  said  Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado  and 
captains  and  men." 

The  result  of  Coronado's  voyage  was,  as  will  be  seen,  a 
complete  failure,  and  that  of  Alvarado  was  even  more  disas- 
trous for,  besides  loosing  the  nine  ships  which  he  had  bought 
for  the  enterprise,  death  surprised  him  unexpectedly  before 
realizing  the  object  of  his  dreams — wherein  the  truth  of  the 
adage  is  seen  that  "man  proposes  and  God  disposes."  Let 
us  now  turn  back  to  the  place   where  we  left  Mendoza  and 


ILLUSTRATKI)    HISTOKV    OP    NEW    MKXICO.  123: 

Coronado  getting?  the  preparations  in  readiness  to  start  on 
the  famous  voyage. 

It  was  at  once  proceeded  to  the  appointment  of  under-offi- 
cers  after  this  manner:  Pedro  de  Tovar,  genera)  Ensign,  Cap. 
tains:  Pedro  de  Guevara,  nephew  of  CountOilate,  Garcia  Lopez 
deC?irdenas,RodrigoMaldonado,  brother  in-law  to  the  duke  of 
"El  Infantado,"  Diego  Lopez  and  Diego  Gutierrez,  all  of  them 
of  the  cavalry  corps.  The  captain  general  appointed,  in 
addition,  and  at  his  own  responsibility,  Juan  de  Saldivar, 
Francisco  deObando,  Juan  Gallegos,  and  Melchor  Diaz.  Other 
gentlemen  who  figured  prominently  in  the  expedition,  though 
not  as  officers,  were  Sirs  Don  Alonso  Manrique  de  Lara, 
Don  Lope  de  Urrea,  Gomez  Suarez  de  Figueroa,  Luis  Rarai- 
res  de  Vargas,  Juan  de  Soto  Mayor,  Francisco  Gorballan 
y  Castaileda,  the  historian  of  the  expedition.  To  Don  Pablo 
de  Melgosa  was  entrusted  the  care  of  the  infantry  forces, 
and  to  Don  Hernando  de  Alvarado,  that  of  the  mounted  force, 
both  with  the  rank  of  Captains;  there  were  some  others  more 
whom  Castaneda  does  not  name.     He  says: 

"It  would  be  good  if  I  could  name  them  all,  so  it  might  be 
seen  that  I  was  right  in  saying  that  this  was  a  company  "of 
the  most  brilliant  persons  that  had  ever  assembled  to  go  in 
search  of  new  lands,  their  worst  misfortune  being  to  be  under 
the  orders  of  a  captain  general  who  had  left  in  New  Spain 
valuable  property,  a  handsome  and  noble  wife,  circumstances 
that  contributed  greatly  to  the  failure  of  the  enterprise.*' 

Soon  after  his  army  had  been  organized,  he  set  out  on  his 
march  to  the  City  of  Compostela,  the  capital  of  New  Galicia, 
accompanied  by  the  Viceroy  Mendoza,  in  which  place  the 
army  finally  assembled. 

As  Coronado  believed,  from  the  information  given  him  by 
Niza,  that  his  voyage  should  be  made  along  and  close  to  the 
sea  coast,  he  ordered  Don  Herndndo  de  Alarcon  to  set  sail 
towards  Jalisco  with  two  vessels  that  were  at  the  port  of 
Navidad  in  the  coast  of  the  south  sea,  and  to  take  up  from 
there  equipments  and  provisions  tor  the  army.  The  viceroy 
accompanied  Coronado  in  his  voyage  to  Compostela  stopping 
at  the  Town  of  Pascuaro  on  the  first  day  of  the  year  1540. 

Thence  they  continued  their  march  till  they  arrived  at 
Compostela  where  the  army  already  awaited  him  and  received 


124  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

him  with  the  honors  corresponding  to  his  title  and  rank.  A 
Httle  after  his  arrival  he  assigned  his  captains  to  their 
respective  commands.  At  this  time,  Don  Cristobal  de  Onate 
was  the  officer  in  command  of  the  province  of  New  Galicia. 
The  next  day  the  viceroy  caused  the  troops  to  be  drawn  up 
and  addressed  the  soldiers  in  patriotic  and  eloquent  phrases, 
exhorting  them  to  obey  their  general  in  all  and  everything, 
and  reminding  them  of  the  many  benefits  that  would  redound 
to  their  country  from  the  success  of  the  expedition,  of  the  con- 
version of  the  inhabitants  of  those  unknown  lands  bringing 
thereby  additional  glory  for  H.  M.,  and  assuring  them  that 
they  could  rely  upon  his  favor  and  patronage.  At  the  close 
of  the  viceroy's  address  the  army  gave  their  oath  of  obedience 
concerning  which  Castaneda  says: 

"When  he  (the  viceroy)  had  finished,  the  captains  and 
soldiers  gave  him  their  oath  with  their  hands  placed  upon  the 
missal  saying  that  they  would  obey  their  general  in  everything 
he  commanded  them  during  the  expedition,  a  thing  they 
faithfully  complied  with.  The  next  day  the  march  began  with 
the  standards  unfurled  accompanying  the  viceroy  for  two 
days." 

A  few  days  after  they  had  started  on  their  march,  the 
nobles,  who  were  not  accustomed  to  that  kind  of  life,  began  to 
suffer  a  great  deal,  and,  to  be  relieved  from,  the  heav}^  weight 
they  carried  on  their  shoulders,  they  commenced  to  give  and 
throw  away  many  things  necessary  for  the  journey.  Noth- 
ing worthy  of  mention  happened  for  several  da3^s,  except  an 
encounter  which  Lope  de  Samaniego  had  with  a  party  of 
Indians  whom  he  and  other  soldiers  followed,  without  any 
authority  and  without  precaution,  the  outcome  being  that  he 
WIS  mortally  wju  tided  in  the  head  dying  instantly  and  leaving 
that  portion  of  the  army  without  a  captain.  When  Coronado 
learned  of  the  tragical  end  of  Lope  de  Samaniego  he  caused 
all  the  Indians,  supposed  to  have  taken  part  in  the  encounter, 
to  be  hanged. 

At  this  point  the  Captains  Melchor  Diaz,  and  Juan  de  Saldi- 
var  returned  from  a  journey  of  exploration.  They  had  been 
sent  out  under  secrecy  by  Coronado  to  explore  the  regions  of 
the  north  with  the  end  of  ascertaining  the  truth  or  falsity  of 
the  statements  Niza  had  made,  Diaz  and  Saldivar  gave  Coro- 


illustratp:d  history  of  new  Mexico.  125- 

nado  a  secret  report;  but  that,  notwithstanding,  it  was 
learned  that  the  report  they  had  made  did  not  tally  with 
what  Niza  liad  said,  wherefore  great  dissatisfaction  was  felt 
which  greatly  discouraged  the  soldiers,  who  were  only  calmed 
by  the  promises  Fray  Marcos  de  Niza  made  them,  that  they 
were  going  to  verify  with  their  own  eyes  what  he  had  said, 
giving  them  atthesametimean  exaggerated  description  of  the 
wealth  they  were  going  to  find.  Quiet  being  restored  to  their 
spirits,  the  army  continued  its  march  towards  Culiacdn  and 
when  they  were  about  two  leagues  from  the  place,  it  being 
Easter  Eve,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  came  out  to  meet  him 
requesting  Coronado  not  to  enter  the  city  until  the  next  day 
in  the  morning.  All  that  Mas  a  plan  of  Coronado,  for  he  had 
arranged  beforehand  a  sham  battle  in  which  the  next  day 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town  had  to  come  out  in  arms  to  meet 
and  give  him  battle  compelling  him  thus  to  take  the  town  by 
assault,  a  thing  which  was  carried  out  the  next  day,  and 
Coronado  thereby  gave  his  soldiers  a  true  and  realistic  illus- 
tration of  what  they  might  expect  to  get  further  on.  Of 
course,  Coronadotriumphed,  and  he  took  the  town  without  any 
loss  other  than  the  hand  of  an  artilleryman  blown  by  a  cannon 
ball  through  his  own  carelessness.  In  the  city  the  army  was 
treated  with  marked  hospitality,  and,  after  staying  15  days 
in  the  city,  the  general  set  ouh  on  a  vanguard  march  accom- 
panied by  50  mounted  men,  some  infantry  soldiers,  and 
many  of  the  friendly  Indians,  leaving  the  army  under  the 
command  of  Tristan  de  Arellano  with  orders  to  follow  15 
days  after.  Before  Coronado's  departure  a  curious  incident 
ocurred  which  Castaiieda  relates  to  us  in  these  words: 

"Before the  departure  of  the  general  a  thing  occurred  worth 
mentioning.  A  young  soldier  named  Trujillo  tried  to  make 
us  believe  that,  while  he  was  bathing  in  the  river  he  had  had 
a  vision  in  which  the  devil  had  told  him  that,  if  he  killed  the 
general,  he  would  be  able  to  marry  his  wife.  Dona  Beatriz, 
and  that  he  would  receive,  to  boot,  great  riches  and  many 
other  valuable  things.  This  caused  Father  Niza  to  preach 
several  sermons  accusing  the  devil  of  doing  that,  because, 
jealous  of  the  good  which  was  going  to  result  from- that 
journey,  he  wanted,  by  this  means,  to  disorganize  the  army. 
The  incident  did  not  end  there,  for  the  other  priests  who  were^ 


126  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

going  with  the  army  wrote  inmediately  to  their  monasteries 
in  Mexico  about  what  had  happened,  from  which  a  great  deal 
of  fear  and  strange  rumors  resulted." 

The  vision  of  Trujillo  was  nothing  more  than  a  simple  trick 
of  his  in  order  not  to  continue  any  longer  with  the  expedition, 
as  Coronado  found  it  out  after  the  spirits  of  the  soldiers  had 
calmed  down;  wherefore  he  severely  reprimanded  Trujillo, 
ordering  him  not  to  keep  on  any  longer  with  the  expedition,  a 
thing  which  left  Trujillo  very  well  satisfied  on  account  of  the 
good  success  of  his  buffoonery. 

Coronado  was  accompanied  in  the  vanguard  by  Niza  and 
the  other  friars,  and,  after  three  days  journeys,  one  of  the 
priests,  Fray  Antonio  Victoria,  accidentally  had  his  leg  hurt; 
the  general  sent  him  to  Culiacan  that  he  might  accompany 
the  army.  For  several  days  Coronado  traveled  passing 
through  Indian  settlements  without  experiencing  an}^ 
-difficulty  with  them,  for  the  Indians  had  already  known  Fray 
Marcos  de  Niza,  and  afterwards  Melchor  Diaz  and  Juan 
Saldivar,  who,  as  we  have  said,  had  gone  secretly  through 
those  lands  giving  the  Indians  good  treatment  till  they  arrived 
at  Chichilticalli,  the  last  town  they  found,  there  being  thence 
to  the  north  nothing  but  arid  lands  and  large  deserts  which 
Coronado  had  to  traverse,  amid  great  discouragement,  on 
account  of  the  unfavorable  perspective  before  him  notwith- 
standing what  had  been  told  him  by  Niza  and  the  Indians  who 
accompanied  Estevanico.  A  thing  that  contributed  largely 
to  Coronado's  discouragement  was  the  appearance  of  Chichil- 
ticalli which  had  been  so  exaggerated  that  he  had  hoped  to 
^nda  people  advanced  in  civilization,  whereas  he  found  only 
a  house  without  a  roof  built  of  red  earth. 

According  to  Castaileda  the  word  "Chichilticalli"  signifies 
"Red  House,"  whence  he  infers  the  reason  why  the  Indians 
called  the  place  Chichilticalli.  After  fifteen  days  of  travel  he 
found  the  river  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  "Colorado 
River"  on  account  of  its  red,  muddy  waters.  This  was  no 
•other  than  the  Zufli  River  and  the  place  where  Coronado  saw 
it  was  eight  miles  from  the  Pueblo  of  Zuili.  Here  the  Span- 
lards  saw  for  the  first  time  two  Indians  of  a  different  aspect 
from  the  ones  they  had  seen  all  along  their  way.  These 
Indians  started  on  a  precipitate   run  to  carry  the  news  of 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  127 

the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  to  the  Pueblo  of  Zufli;  that  being 
sufficient  cause  for  alarm  for  Coronado  and  his  men.  Soon  the 
next  day  early  in  the  morning,  when  they  were  already  near 
the  pueblo,  for  they  had  spent  the  night  close  to  it,  they  met 
with  a  very  large  number  of  painted  and  plumed  Indians  who 
appeared  before  him  in  warlike  mood  amid  so  many  whoops 
and  yells,  that  many  of  the  nobles  who  accompanied  Coronado 
were  so  scared  that  they  placed  their  saddles  on  their  horses 
with  the  back  part  to  the  front,  as  Castafieda  declares,  but 
the  experienced  soldiers,  encouraged  by  their  general,  and 
used  to  fight  the  Indians,  mounted  their  horses  and  in  battle 
array  charged  the  Indians  w4io  fled  in  complete  disorder. 
The  next  day  they  reached  without  any  molestation  by  the 
Indians,  the  first  of  the  seven  pueblos  which  the  Indians 
called  Hawikuh,  it  being  no  other,  according  to  Castaneda, 
than  the  Pueblo  of  Zuni  itself,  and  one  of  the  seven  which 
Coronado  mentioned  in  a  letter  which  he  wrote  that  very 
day  to  Viceroy  Mendoza,  commencing  thus:  "From  the 
provinceof  Clbolaand  this  City  of  Granada,  AugustSd,  1540." 
Concerning  what  the  Spaniards  found  in  Cibola  they  were 
dissatisfied,  charging  Father  Niza  with  having  lied  and 
exaggerated  the  real  situation,  Castaneda  says: 

"The  next  day  we  entered  inhabited  land  all  in  very  good 
shape,  and  when  we  had  seen  the  first  pueblo  which  was 
Cibola  the  curses  hurled  against  Fray  Niza  were  so  many 
that  I  had  to  pray  to  God  to  protect  the  priest.'' 

According  to  the  description  of  this  pueblo  given  by  Cas- 
taneda, it  must  have  had  about  200  warriors,  its  adobe  houses 
of  from  three  to  four  stories,  each  house  witn  but  few 
rooms  and  no  yards;  the  two  Indians  we  have  already  men- 
tioned who  had  brought  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  Span- 
iards caused  such  an  alarm  that  all  the  Indians  of  the  other 
six  pueblos  were  there  congregated  in  a  seemingly  bellicose 
mood.  Coronado  ordered  them  to  surrender.  They  refused 
that,  refusing,  at  the  same  time,  to  accept  the  peace  which 
Coronado,  through  the  medium  of  interpreters,  offered  them. 
That  gave  Coronado  an  excuse  to  order  an  assault  upon  the 
village,  a  thing  the  troops  did  at  the  cry  of  "Santiago."' 
They  charged  upon  the  Indians,  causing  them  a  complete 
rout,  and   taking  the  village  witliout  any  more  difficulty.     In 


128  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP   NEW    MEXICO. 

the  fray,  however,  which  was  quite  obstinate,  the  general 
received  a  stone  wound  on  the  head  which  unhorsed  him, 
and  he  would  have  been  killed  by  the  Indians  had  it  not  been 
for  the  timely  service  rendered  him  by  Don  Garcia  Lopez  de 
Cdrdenas  and  Don  Hernando  de  Alvarado,  who  threw  them- 
selves over  his  body  in  order  to  save  him,  receiving  them- 
selves the  stone  blows  directed  at  him.  With  the  exception 
of  this  incident,  the  issue  of  the  battle  was  decisively  in  favor 
of  the  Spaniards,  who  took,  thereupon,  possession  of  the 
pueblo  and  of  the  large  quantity  of  provisions  therein  found. 
With  the  taking  of  Zuni,  the  whole  province  became  pacified 
and  subjugated. 

Coronado  remained  there  for  a  time  in  hopes  of  receiving 
news  from  the  army  and  of  the  result  of  the  voyage  of  Don 
Hernando  de  Alarcon,  who  had  been  ordered,  as  we  have 
seen,  to  go  to  the  port  of  Jalisco  after  equipments  and  pro- 
visions  for  the  army.  Don  Tristan  de  Arellano  left  Culiacan 
15  days  after  the  departure  of  Coronado  following,  more  or 
less,  the  route  that  had  been  followed  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca, 
and  arriving  at  a  place  which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  had  named 
"Corazones,"  because  the  Indians  had  offered  him  hearts  on 
his  arrival.  This  place,  according  to  historians,  was  a  village 
of  Indians  which  was  situated  where  the  city  of  Ures,  in  the 
state  of  Sonora,  is  situated  today.  There  Arellano  founded 
a  village  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  "San  Ger6nimo  de  los 
Corazones,"  but  as  he  jcould  not  maintain  himself  in  the  vil- 
lage he  changed  it  to  another  place  in  the  valley  which  the 
Spaniards  named  "Seilora."  From  that  place  Arellano  sent 
Don  Rodrigo  de  Maldonado  to  the  coast  in  search  of  Alarcon. 
Maldonado  returned  without  meeting  Alarcon,  but  bringing 
with  him  an  Indian  so  tall  in  stature  that  the  tallest  soldier 
reached  scarcely  to  his  breast.  This  Indian  was  from  the 
Island  of  Tiburon,  of  the  tribe  of  the  "Sires.'"  From  there 
Arellano  went  to  the  valley  of  Sefiora  where  he  was  staying 
(about  the  middle  of  Octobej^  when  the  emissaries  Melchor 
Diaz  and  Juan  Gallego  arrived  with  instructions  from  Coro- 
nado to  hasten  the  march  of  the  army — Juan  Gallego  having 
orders  to  proceed  thence  to  Mexico  to  deliver  to  Mendoza 
the  report  which  Coronado  sent  him,  and  Melchor  Diaz  being 


Most  Rev,  .Tiifin   B.   Salpoiiitf.    sccoiul    Ai 
Archbishop  I.iiiuy— See  his  life,  post. 


bishop  of  Siiiita 


.Successor  of 


130  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

instructed  to  go  as  far  as  the  coast  in  search  of  the  vessels  of 
Alarcon. 

By  the  middle  of  September,  Arellano  started  with  the 
army  from  the  point  of  Senora  to  Cibola,  Melchor  Diaz 
remaining  in  the  latter  place  in  command  of  80  men  in  order 
to  garrison  it  and  await  to  learn  something  from  Alarcon. 
Fray  Marcos  de  Niza  accompanied  Gallego  and  Melchor  Diaz 
down  to  Senora,  and  thence  continued  his  journey  with  Juan 
Gallego  to  Mexico,  which  he  was  compelled  to  do,  because 
Coronado  and  the  other  Spaniards  felt  themselves  offended, 
charging  Niza  with  having  lied  to  them  in  the  information  he 
gave  in  Mexico  in  reference  to  the  fabulous  riches  of  gold 
and  precious  stones,  fine  dresses  and  immense  cities  he  had 
promised  them  they  would  find  in  Cibola.  After  the  depart- 
ure of  the  army,  Melchor  Diaz  undertook  a  trip  to  the  coast 
accompanied  by  25  of  the  best  soldiers,  leaving  Diego  de 
Alcaraz  in  command  of  the  village.  After  traveling  150  > 
leagues,  Melchor  Diaz  arrived  at  a  town  inhabited  by  real 
giants  of  whom  he  tells  us  himself  what  follows: 

"They  go  naked  and  live  in  subterranean  caves  with  no 
other  roofs  than  a  sort  of  slender  straw-thatched  ones  which 
their  huts  have  in  their  principal  opening.  They  go  into 
them  through  one  side  and  go  out  by  the  other.  More  than 
a  hundred  persons,  large  and  small,  sleep  in  one  hut.  A 
single  one  of  them  can  carry  a  load  on  his  head  of  over  300 
lbs.  On  one  occasion  our  people  wanted  to  bring  in  a  heavy 
log  to  build  a  fire  with;  six  of  us  could  not  move  it,  and  one  of 
those  Indians,  without  the  help  of  the  others,  placed  it  on 
his  head  carrying  it  with  ease.  They  eat  bread  baked  in 
coals,  one  of  their  loaves  being  like  two  of  Castile.  When 
cold  is  severe  and  they  have  to  go  from  one  place  to  another 
they  carry  always  with  them  a  torch  in  one  hand,  leaving  the 
other  one  free  for  the  necessary  uses;  that  being  the  reason 
why  a  very  large  river  there  is  called  Rio  del  Tison.  This 
river  is  more  than  two  leagues  wide  at  its  mouth  and  here 
about  half  a  league."  Here  the  Indians  informed  Melchor  Diaz 
that  at  three  miles  journey  down  the  river  some  ships  had 
been  seen  not  long  ago.  Thereupon  Melchor  Diaz  travelled  for 
three  days  with  his  men  arriving  at  the  place  where  the  river 
empties  into  the  Gulf,  and   there  he  found,  written  upon  a 


i  •  ,  ^11. "or  (.r  Ari-hbisliop 


132  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

large  tree,  these  words:  "Alarcon  arrived  at  this  place; 
there  are  letters  at  the  foot  of  this  tree.'"  Melchor  Diaz  took 
the  letters  out  and  saw  by  them  that  Alarcon  had  waited 
there  a  long  time  for  instructions  from  Coronado,  and  that 
having  received  none,  he  had  returned  to  New  Spain  without 
going  further  into  the  interior,  Melchor  Diaz  thence  turned 
back  travelling  up  the  stream  with  the  purpose  of  crossing 
the  river  and  of  following  his  journey  along  the  other  bank. 
After  travelling  for  live  days,  and,  aided  by  a  large  number 
of  Indians,  he  set  himself  to  the  work  of  constructing 
floats  in  order  to  cross  the  river.  Whilst  the  floats  were 
being  constructed  the  Indians  were  forming  a  conspiracy 
to  surprise  the  Spaniards  and  drown  them  while  they 
crossed  the  river,  but  Melchor  Diaz  was  notified  by  an  Indian 
of  what  was  going  on.  He  captured  the  Indian  who  gave  him 
the  information,  made  him  a  prisoner  and  by  rigorous  punish- 
ment made  him  disclose  the  whole  conspirac,y,  after  which 
he  caused  him  to  be  killed  and,  at  dead  of  night,  ordered  him 
thrown  into  the  river  with  a  heavy  stone  tied  to  his  neck  so 
that  the  Indians  might  never  learn  of  the  fate  of  their  com- 
panion. They,  however,  did  learn  about  it  the  next  day. 
Observing  that  the  Spaniards  had  already  suspected  their 
treason,  they  attacked  them.  In  the  encounter,  the  super- 
iority of  the  Spanish  arms,  rather  than  the  number  of  their 
soldiers,  triumphed,  the  Indians  being  ignominiously  routed 
leaving  a  great  many  of  their  number  wounded.  After  the 
combat,  the  Spaniards  crossed  the  river  on  the  floats,  accom- 
panied by  the  friendly  Indians,  with  their  horses  swimming 
and  tied  on  to  the  floats. 

Let  us  now  turn  back  and  give  an  account  of  the  march  of 
the  army  from  Senora  to  Cibola  (Bancroft,  Prince,  and  other 
historians  affirm  that  Sonora  is  the  same  place  Melchor  Diaz 
called  Senora)  leaving  Melchor  Diaz  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Colorado  River,  as  he  will  after  a  while  engage  again  our  atten- 
tion. 

Before  taking  up  again  the  narrative  of  the  army  the 
reader's  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  while  Melchor 
Diaz  traveled  by  the  other  bank,  or  the  north  side  of  the  Colo 
rado  River,  he  passed  through  a  great  stretch  of  land  of  what 
forms  today  the  States  of  California,  Nevada  and  Utah. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  133 

Between  the  point  of  Seflora  and  the  Pueblo  of  Chichilticalli 
they  did  not  suffer  any  hardship,  nor  did  they  observe  any- 
thing of  importance  excepting  that  many  of  the  soldiers 
contracted  sickness  on  account  of  having  eaten  too  much 
prickly  pear  vv'hich  the  Indians  gave  them  in  the  form  of  a 
preserve,  and  that  the  soldiers  who  were  on  the  vanguard 
had  seen  a  Hock  of  sheep.  Concerning  the  tlock  of  sheep 
Castafieda  says: 

"I  saw  them  myself  and  followed  them;  they  were  of  very 
large  carcass  and  very  long  wool.  Their  bodies  were  large 
and  thick,  and  when  they  run  they  throw  their  heads  back, 
their  horns  touching  their  spinal  columns.  They  are  very 
much  used  to  rough  lands,  a  reason  why  we  could  not  catch 
any." 

After  the  army  had  traveled  three  days  in  the  desert  they 
came  to  a  little  rivulet  which  runs  through  a  precipitous 
caflon  where  they  met  with  a  horn  which  Coronado  had 
left  there  for  them  as  sign  and  guide.  The  horn,  according 
to  Castafieda.  was  about  six  feet  long  and  was  as  thick  as  the 
muscle  of  a  man.  At  about  a  day's  journey  from  Cibola  a 
violent  tempest,  accompanied  by  intense  cold,  rain  and  snow, 
caught  the  army,  obliging  the  soldiers  and  Indians,  whoaccom- 
panied  them,  to  take  refuge  in  the  caves  of  the  mountains, 
where  they  passed  the  night.  The  Indians,  on  account  of 
having  come  from  tropical  countries,  felt  the  cold  more 
severely  than  the  Spaniards,  so  much  so  that  on  the  next 
day  the  soldiers  were  obliged  to  turn  their  horses  over  to  the 
Indians,  and  travel  on  foot.  Prince  tells  us  that  several 
Indians  perished  from  cold  on  that  occasion,  but  Castafieda 
says  nothing  about  it,  by  which  it  is  seen  that  there  is  a 
mistake  somewhere,  either  in  Prince's  translation  or  Hodge's 
to  which  the  Author  has  now  reference.  When  the  army  had 
arrived  in  Cibola,  Coronado  commenced  to  make  inquiries 
regarding  the  lands  and  peoples  that  might  exist  beyond  Cibo- 
la receiving  from  the  Indians  the  information  that  further 
in  the  interior  a  province  could  be  found  that  was  composed  of 
seven  pueblos  very  much  like  those  of  Cibola,  to  which  they 
gave  the  name  of  "Tusayan,"  situated  at  25  miles  from 
Cibola  and  inhabited  by  warlike  Indians.  To  discover  these 
seven  cities  or  pueblos,  Coronado  selected  Don  Pedro  de 


134  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Tobar,  who  undertook  the  voyage  accompanied  by  seventeen 
mounted  soldiers,  Father  Juan  de  Padilla  and  another 
Franciscan  priest,  who,  in  his  first  years,  had  been  a  warrior. 
Tobar  and  his  companion  did  not  delay  long  in  reaching  the 
province  of  Tusayan  to  which  they  entered  almost  unobserved, 
because  its  inhabitants  dared  not  come  out  of  their  pueblos 
since  Coronado  had  possessed  himself  of  Cibola,  and  because 
they  had  been  notified  by  other  Indians  that  the  Spaniards 
were  a  ferocious  set  of  men  and  that  they  rode  on  certain 
animals  that  ate  people.  Tobar  and  his  companions  spent  the 
night  at  the  edge  of  one  of  the  pueblos,  and  the  next  day,  on 
being  discovered,  a  great  multitude  of  Indians,  armed  with 
bows  and  arrows  and  drawn  in  line  of  battle  came  out,  send- 
ing the  Spaniards  an  interpreter  to  tell  them  that  they  would 
be  destroyed  if  they  crossed  a  line  which  they  had  made  with 
corn  meal.  Whilst  the  interpreter  was  saying  that,  some  of 
the  Spaniards  attempted  to  cross  the  line,  wherefore  one  of 
the  Indians  struck  a  horse  with  a  stick;  Father  Padilla  was 
indignant  at  that  and  addressing  the  captain  said:  "In  truth  I 
do  not  know  what  we  have  come  here  for."  When  the  soldiers 
heard  the  words  of  Fray  Juan  Padilla,  one  of  them  uttered  the 
cry  of  "Santiago,"'  the  soldiers  throwing  themselves  instantly 
upon  the  Indians  with  so  much  dexterity  that  in  a  short  time 
they  killed  many  Indians,  compelling  the  others  to  flee  in 
confusion.  With  this  victory,  Tobar  was  enabled  to  take 
peaceable  possession  of  the  pueblo,  receiving  their  submission 
together  with  a  great  quantity  of  provisions  and  other  pre- 
sents made  him,  among  which  were  cotton  coverings,  elabor- 
ated deerskins,  corn  meal  and  pifiones  and  domesticated 
birds.  With  the  submission  of  this  pueblo  the  whole  province 
submitted  observing  the  same  ceremonial  and  giving  the 
Spaniards  the  same  presents.  Here  also  the  Spaniards  learned 
that  near  the  place  there  was  a  great  river  along  the  banks  of 
which  a  great  number  of  pueblos  were  settled  and  inhabited 
by  men  of  very  large  stature  (which  was  none  other  than  the 
great  Colorado  River  already  discovered  by  Melchor  Diaz  as 
we  have  said). 

As  Don  Pedro  de  Tobar  had  no  authority  to  go  further  than 
Tusayan,  he  returned  to  Cibola,  and  informed  the  general  of 
what  had  been  told    him.       Coronado  next  sent   out    Don 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOIiY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  135 

Garcia  Lopez  de  Cardenas  accompanied  by  12  soldiers  to 
discover  said  river,  Cdrdenas  in  his  trip  passed  through 
Tusayan  where  he  was  well  received  and  was  furnished  with 
guides  for  his  trip.  After  travelling  for  20  days  they  came 
to  the  brink  of  a  deep  ravine  at  the  foot  of  which  glided  the 
famous  Colorado  River,  the  canyon  being  according  to  Car- 
denas, no  less  than  three  or  four  leagues  in  width.  It  took 
them  four  days  to  look  for  places  by  which  to  descend  to  the 
water,  but  without  success;  till,  at  length,  Captain  Melgosa, 
accompanied  b}^  Juan  Galeras,  found  a  place  by  which  to  go 
down, — the  depth  of  the  ravine  being  so  great  that  those  who 
remained  in  the  upper  part  could  not  see  them  when  the  for- 
mer had  come  to  the  middle  of  the  canyon.  They  returned 
about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  having  not  been  able  to 
descend  as  far  as  the  water.  Prom  there,  Cardenas  and  the 
rest  returned  to  Cibola  where  Don  Pedro  de  Soto  Mayor,  to 
whom  Coronado  had  entrusted  the  task  of  taking  notes  about 
the  voyages,  gave  Coronado  a  detailed  report  of  the  voyage 
and  its  fruitless  results. 

A  little  after  the  arrival  of  Cdrdenas  at  Cibola,  a  party  of 
Indians  also  arrived  under  the  command  of  a  small  captain, 
whom  the  Spaniards  nicknamed  "Bigotes"  because  he  was 
the  tirst  Indian  they  had  seen  with  a  moustache.  Bigotes 
informed  Coronado  that  he  had  come  from  his  land,  which 
lay  very  far  to  the  East,  (Cardenas  gives  the  distance  at  70 
leagues)  to  otfer  his  .-ubmission  and  that  of  the  inhabitants  of 
his  province,  and  as  proof  of  the  good  faith  of  his  words  gave 
Coronado  presents  of  tanned  hides  and  some  articles  of  pot- 
tery, which  Coronado  accepted  with  a  show  of  sincere  grati- 
tude, giving  Bigotes  in  return  a  few  glass  pieces  and  a  few 
pearls  and  small  bells,  all  of  which  were  a  wonder  for  the 
Indian  who  had  never  before  seen  any  like  articles.  Bigotes 
informed  Coronado  that  in  his  land  they  had  cows,  describing 
such  animals  by  the  figure  of  a  cow  which  was  tattooed  on  his 
own  skin.  That  information  encouraged  Coronado  so  much 
as  to  decide  him  on  the  resolution  of  verifying  Bigote's 
narrative  by  forthwith  sending  out  Hernando  de  Alvarado, 
accompanied  by  20  soldiers  and  Bigotes,  and  ordering  the 
latter  to  stay  even  80  days  in  that  land,  if  necessary,  that  he 
might  give  an  exact  account  of  what  he  should  discover  and 


136  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

see.  After  five  days"  journey  Alvarado  came  to  a  pueblo 
built  upon  a  very  high  rock  to  which  it  was  possible  to  as- 
cend only  by  means  of  steps  which  the  Indians  had  cut  on 
the  rock  after  the  fashion  of  a  ladder.  The  Indians  called 
this  pueblo  "Acuco''  which  we  know  today  b}'  the  name  of 
"Acoma." 

It  was  50  miles  east  from  Zuni;  its  population  reached  to 
200  souls  and  its  Indians  had  a  very  bad  reputation  and  were 
feared  by  the  other  villages  on  account  of  their  valor  and 
skill  in  combats.  When  they  noticed  the  arrival  ot  Alvarado 
and  his  men,  they  came  down  to  the  valley  in  a  bellicose  atti- 
tude, drawing  a  line  between  themselves  and  the  Spaniards 
and  indicating  thus  to  the  latter  that  they  must  not  pass  it; 
but,  as  Alvarado  paid  no  attention  to  their  threats,  but  gave 
them  rather  to  understand  that  he  was  determined  to  go  as 
far  as  the  pueblo  even  if  on  that  account  he  should  have  to 
fight,  the  Indians  surrendered  simply  at  the  sight  of  the 
arms  and  determination  of  the  Spaniards;  and,  to  give  proof 
of  their  good  will  and  the  firmness  of  their  resolution,  they 
wiped  the  sweat  off  the  horses  of  the  Spaniards  with  their 
hands  and  rubbed  their  own  bodies  with  it  making  crosses 
with  their  fingers.  That  ceremony,  according  to  Bigotes, 
was  the  most  solemn  among  the  Indians,  and  was  only 
observed  when  they  made  peace  treaties. 

The  ceremony  over,  they  brought  the  Spaniards  a  large 
number  of  turkeys,  much  bread,  soft  deerskins,  piBones 
(pine  nuts),  corn  meal  and  corn.  After  a  short  visit  in  the 
pueblo  of  Acuco  (Acoma)  Alvarado  continued  his  march 
towards  the  province  of  Tiguex  at  a  distance  of  three  days 
journey  from  Acuco  where  he  arrived  and  was  received 
without  any  difiiculty  by  the  ludians  amid  demonstrations 
of  joy  on  account  of  Bigotes  being  with  them.  Alvarado 
stayed  here  for  a  brief  period  undertaking  again  his  journey 
to  another  pueblo  which  the  Indians  called  "Cicuye,"  (Pecos) 
—a  pueblo  which  Bigotes  had  mentioned  to  Coronado.  Before 
starting  for  Cicuye,  Alvarado  sent  an  emissary  to  Coronado 
with  a  very  interesting  description  of  what  he  had  discovered 
persuading  him  to  come  and  pass  the  winter  at  Tiguex. 
Coronado  received  Alvarado's  communication  with  great 
rejoicings,  as  he  already  felt  very  displeased  at  not  having 


ILLUSTRATED    EIISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  137 

been  able  to  discover  some  of  the  riches  so  much  spoken  of 
by  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  Niza.  On  the  fifth  day  of  his  journey 
Alvarado  reached  the  Pueblo  of  Cicuy^,  which,  (given  the 
distance  travelled  in  live  days, and  the  direction  he  took  east- 
ward) was  none  other  than  the  Pueblo  of  Pecos;  all  historians 
concur  in  this.  At  Cicuy^,  Alvarado  and  his  men  were 
received  with  demonstrations  of  real  gladness.  All  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  pueblo  went  out  to  meet  him  at  the  sound  of 
drums  and  flutes  accompanying  him  to  the  pueblo  and  giving 
him  in  addition,  presents  of  woollen  and  cotton  coverings  and 
valuable  turquoises  which  they  obtained  by  trading  with  the 
Indians  of  the  province  of  Tiguex.  Alvarado  met  here  an 
Indian  slave  who  had  come  from  the  provinces  close  to 
Florida,  and  who  said  that  further  on  in  the  interior  there 
were  many  and  very  large  pueblos  in  which  gold  and  silver 
abounded,  and  that  there  were  many  cows.  This  informa- 
tion kindled  in  Alvarado's  breast  the  desire  of  going  to  see 
those  lands  and  the  cows;  and  he  caused  the  Indian  slave, 
whom  he  named  "Turco"  because  of  his  looking  very  much 
like  the  Turks,  to  accompany  them.  The  news  given  out  by 
Turco  to  Alvarado  of  the  fabulous  riches  of  gold  and  silver, 
was  sufficient  for  Alvarado  not  to  mind  the  cows.  So  great 
was  the  enthusiasm  that  took  hold  of  his  soul  because  of  his 
belief  that  he  had  now  in  reality  discovered  what  both  he  and 
Coronadoaswellastherestof  the  Spaniards  most  heartilyde- 
sired,  that  he  instantly  decided  to  return  and  relate  himself 
to  Coronado  the  discovery  communicated  to  him  by  Turco. 
While  Alvarado  was  returning,  Coronado  had  already  sent 
out  Don  Garcia  Lopez  ae  Cardenas,  accompanied  by  some 
soldiers,  to  Tiguex  in  order  to  make  the  necessary  prepara- 
tions for  the  reception  of  the  army  which  was  to  pass  the 
winter  in  that  place.  At  Tiguex,  Alvarado  met  L6pez  de 
Cardenas,  and  he  remained  there  awaiting  the  coming  of 
Coronado.  Alvarado  and  Cardenas  forced  the  Indians  to 
abandon  a  whole  pueblo,  without  allowing  them  to  take  out 
anything  more  than  the  dress  they  had  on,  and  to  leave  all 
the  provisions  in  the  pueblo  for  the  alimentation  of  the  army. 
Here  Alvarado  received  information  about  other  pueblos 
which  were  said  to  exist  to  the  north  of  Tiguex,  and,  as  Cas- 
tafieda  blamed  the  Indian,  Turco,  for  all  the  misfortunes  that 


138  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

befell  the  army  and  Coronado,  in  referring  to  the  informa- 
tion that  Alvarado  received  in  regard  to  the  pueblos  to  the 
north  of  Tiguex  he  says: 

"I  believe  myself  that  it  would  have  been  of  greater  benefit 
if  we  had  followed  the  direction  (northward)  instead  of  what 
Turco  said,  because  he  (El  Turco)  was  the  cause  of  all  the 
misfortunes  that  befell  the  expedition.'' 

Before  starting  for  Tiguex,  Coronado  received  information 
of  the  existence  of  another  province,  to  which  the  Indians 
gave  the  name  of  "Tutahaco,"  consisting  of  eight  pueblos, 
towards  which  Coronado  turned  his  steps,  taking  along  with 
him  30  men  and  some  Indians  who  served  as  guides,  and 
leaving  orders  that  Arellano  should  follow  directly  towards 
Tiguex,  after  the  army  had  rested  in  Zufli,  as  he,  Coronado, 
had  taken  a  different  route  to  go  to  the  Province  of  Tutahaco. 
The  Province  of  Tutahaco  has  never  been  identified  by  his- 
torians, some  confounding  it  with  that  of  Acuco  (Acoma), 
and  Castaiieda  hints  that  Tutahaco  and  Tusayan  are  one  and 
the  same  thing;  but  from  what  we  have  read,  it  is  clearly 
seen  that  Castaneda  was  mistaken.  In  the  opinion  of  this 
author,  the  Province  of  Tutahaco  must  have  existed  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Rio  Grande,  in  the  country  lying 
between  the  pueblos  of  Isleta  and  Laguna — the  author 
basing  his  opinion  on  the  direction  of  the  route  taken  by 
Coronado  in  order  to  get  to  it,  and  with  this  opinion  agree 
Salpointe,  Bancroft  and  Prince,  especially  Prince,  who, 
referring  to  that  particular  point,  says: 

"This  Province  of  Tutahaco  was,  evidently,  to  be  found  in 
the  valley  of  the  river  which  we  know  today  by  the  name  of 
San  Jose.  Today  only  one  of  its  pueblos  exists:  the  pueblo 
of  Laguna.'" 

The  houses  and  customs  of  those  pueblos  were  identical, 
in  every  respect,  with  the  houses  and  customs  of  the  Indians 
of  the  Province  of  Cibola,  which  we  have  already  mentioned. 
At  Tutahaco,  Coronado  was  given  a  hospitable  reception, 
lodgement  and  provisions  being  assigned  to  liim  and  his 
men,  and  allowing  him  to  stay  there,  without  any  molesta- 
tion, any  length  of  time  he  desired.  After  spending  a  few 
days  in  that  province  he  continued  his  march  toward  Tiguex, 
where  he  met  Alvarado  and   El  Turco,   demanding  of  the 


/ 

■  ^..:    -^     >' 

JpB^s^     !^ 

HHHH^n^p^" 

I^I^K                '  "IHlfc  4>^i^M  "■ " 

-•      \ 

Most    Rev.   Peter   BouKarde.   Aiehbishop  of  .Santa  Fe.    Successor  of  Areh- 
bishop  Chapelle.— Details  fiirtlu'r  on. 


140  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP   NEW    MEXICO. 

latter  a  narrative  with  more  details  than  the  one  he  had 
already  given  Alvarado  concerning  the  places  from  which  he 
had  come.  El  Turco  complied,  stating  to  him  that  there  was 
a  very  large  river  in  his  land  traversing  large  prairies  and 
its  width  being  about  two  leagues.  It  contained  fishes  as 
large  as  a  horse,  and  very  large  canoes  each  with  more  than 
twenty  paddlers  in  which  the  principal  chiefs  sailed  under 
cover  of  elegant  awnings  and  sails,  and  that  over  the  most 
conspicuous  part  of  the  canoe  a  large  golden  eagle  was  to  be 
seen;  that  the  king  of  those  regions  took  his  siestas  (naps) 
every  afternoon  under  a  big  tree  lulled  by  the  sound  of 
innumerable  golden  bells;  and  that  the  table  service  used  by 
the  inhabitants  of  those  lands  consisted  of  golden  jars  and 
dishes;  and  many  more  lies.  Perhaps  Coronado  would  not 
have  believed  El  Turco  had  not  the  latter  shown  him  some 
ornaments  of  ordinary  metal  he  had  along,  and  that  he  was 
able  to  distinguish  the  difference  between  those  ornaments 
and  the  genuiiae  silver  which  Coronado  showed  him.  By 
this  means  El  Turco  was  able  to  ingratiate  himself  into  the 
favor  of  Coronado.  El  Turco  also  told  Coronado  that  the 
Indians  of  Cicuy^  had  stolen  from  him  some  golden  brace- 
lets, requesting  him  at  the  same  time  to  recover  them  for 
him.  Coronado  sent  Alvarado  to  Cicuye  to  recover  El 
Turco's  bracelets,  but  the  Indians  of  Cicuy^  informed  Alva- 
rado that  El  Turco  did  not  say  the  truth',  at  which  Alvarado 
became  indignant  and  caused  Chief  Bigotes  to  be  imprisoned 
together  with  the  governor  (cacique)  of  the  pueblo  fettering 
and  handcuffing  them  with  irons,  the  result  of  which  was 
that  the  Indians  of  the  pueblo  rose  in  insurrection  charging 
Alvarado  with  being  insincere  and  a  Har.  Alvarado  returned 
to  Tiguex  carrying  with  him  Bigotes  and  the  governor  of 
Cicuye,  whom  Coronado  kept  in  prison  at  Tiguex  for  more 
than  six  months.  This  inhuman,  cruel  and  unjust  action  of 
Coronado,  and  the  circumstance  of  having  Lopez  de  Carde- 
nas forcibly  drive  the  Indians  out  of  the  pueblo  of  Tiguex, 
taking  from  them  their  provisions  and  other  holdings,  as  we 
have  already  said,  came  to  be  the  reason  why  the  Indians  of 
New  Mexico  began  to  lose  the  confidence  which  up  to  then 
they  had  had  with  respect  to  the  good  faith  of  the  Spaniards. 
This  was  then  the  origin  of  the  mortal  hatred  which  began  to 


Most  Kev.  J.  B.  Pitaval,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  F'rance,  February  lOth^ 
1858.  He  made  his  preparatory  course  of  studies  for  the  priesthood  in 
the  seminaries  of  the  archdiocese  of  Lyons,  France,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  at  the  call  of  Bishop  Macheboeuf,  of  Denver,  in  June 
1881.  remaining-  for  a  few  months  at  St.  Mary's  Seminary,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  where  he  was  ordained  a  deacon  the  following  September,  by  His 
Eminence,  Cardinal  Gibbons. 

On  December  24,  1881.  he  was  ordained  a  priest  in  Denver,  Colorado, 
by  the  Right  Reverend  Joseph  Projectus  Macheboeuf,  Bishop  of  Denver, 
and  from  that  date  until  1!)()2,  he  labored  as  a  missionary  priest  in 
Colorado. 

On  July  25,  1902,  he  was  consecrated  Bishop  Titular  of  Sora,  in 
Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  by  the  late  Most  Rev.  Peter  Bourgade,  Arch- 
bishop of  Santa  Fe,  who  made  him  auxiliary  bishop. 

Upon  the  death  of  Archbishop  Bourgade  in  May,  1908,  Bishop  Pita- 
val became  administrator  of  the  Archdiocese  of  Santa  Fe,  and  was 
nominated  on  January  3rd,  1909,  Archbishop  of  Santa  Fe,  officially 
appointed  in  the  Consistory  held  on  April  29th,  1909,  and  vested  with, 
the  sacred  Pallium  on  August  18th  1909. 


142  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

take  root  in  the  hearts  of  the  Indigenes  of  New  Mexico,  and 
came  later  on  to  end  in  the  destruction  and  expulsion  of  the 
Spaniards,  as  the  reader  will  shortly  see. 

A  Portion  of  the  Army  Leaves  Cibola  for  Tiguex. 

In  obedience  to  the  orders  of  Coronado,  Don  Tristan  de 
Arellano  left  Cibola  for  Tiguex,  with  the  army,  at  the 
beginning  of  December.  The  march  lasted  ten  days  the  army 
suffering  a  great  deal  during  that  time  on  account  of  the 
intense  cold  and  snow  they  had  on  the  road,  the  snow  being 
so  much,  in  one  of  the  last  nights  of  the  journey,  according  to 
Castaneda,  that  it  completely  buried  the  whole  equipment  of 
the  army,  as  well  as  the  soldiers  and  their  bedding,  to  such 
a  degree  (words  of  Castaneda's)  "that  had  anyone  come 
suddenly  he  would  not  have  been  able  to  see  anything  of  the 
army,  but  only  large  mounds  of  snow."  On  passing  by  Acuco 
(Acoma)  the  Indians  of  that  pueblo  went  out  carrying  a  large 
quantity  of  provisions  for  the  army,  on  which  account  many 
of  the  officials  and  soldiers  made  a  visit  to  the  pueblo  continu- 
ing afterwards  their  march  thence  to  Tiguex.  AtTiguex,  they 
we  re  very  affectionately  received  byCoronadowho,inalongand 
eloquent  harangue  informed  the  army  of  the  great  fortune 
that  awaited  them  in  the  land  of  the  "Great  River"  mentioned 
by  Turco;  the  information  so  enthused  the  soldiers  that  both 
they  as  well  as  Coronado  imagined  they  saw  at  last  the  Alpha 
and  Omega  of  Columbus,  or,  at  least,  another  empire  as  rich 
as  Moctezuma's,  ail  looking  f3rward  with  eagerness  to  the  day 
of  the  departure. 

We  have  already  seen  the  injustice  done  by  Cardenas  when 
he  expelled  the  Indians  of  a  whole  pueblo,  and  how  Coronado 
also  had  held  the  Indian  Bigotes,  who  was  then  a  very  old 
man,  and  the  governor  of  Cicuy^  as  prisoners;  with  the  sole 
purpose  of  satisfying  El  Turco.  Those  two  circumstances 
had  already  begotten  in  the  Indians,  besides  the  hatred  which 
they  already  entertained  for  the  Spaniards,  a  determination 
to  take  vengeance  on  them,  which  finally  materialized  into  a 
firm  resolution  of  breaking  asunder  all  friendly  relations 
between  themselves  and  the  Spaniards.  Another  misdeed 
of  Coronado's  came  now  to  hasten  the  lamentable  outcome 
which  put  an  end  to  his  friendship  with   the  Indians  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  143 

province  of  Tiojuex.  As  the  soldiers  were  in  lack  of  clothing 
and  cold  was  intense,  Coronado caused  Juan  Alemdn,  one  of 
his  Indian  governors,  to  come  to  his  presence,  and  told  him 
that  all  the  Indians  must  gather  together  among  their 
pueblo  more  than  300  articles  of  clothing  for  his  soldiers, 
ordering  them  to  go  and  carry  his  order  to  the  other  gover- 
nors, and  sending  soldiers  immediately  to  all  the  pueblos 
with  such  haste  that  the  Indians  had  no  time  to  hold  consul- 
tations among  themselves  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  steps 
conducive  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  order.  The  soldiers 
behaved  cruelly  in  all  the  pueblos,  they  despoiled  the  Indians, 
not  only  of  what  they  had  in  their  homes,  but  they  even  took 
away  the  shirts  they  had  on  their  bodies,  leaving  them 
exposed  to  the  roughness  of  the  weather.  And  even  more, 
there  were  cases  of  criminal  assaults  upon  the  wives  of  the 
Indians.  The  Indians  brought  due  complaints  of  all  these 
disorders  before  Coronado,  who  ordered  an  investigation 
which  proved  fruitless,  as  it  was  not  possible  for  the  Indians 
to  identify  the  assailants,  the  fatal  and  unexpected  incident 
closing  finally  in  a  bitter  fight  between  the  Indians  and  the 
Spaniards,  in  which,  as  was  to  be  expected,  the  Indians  were 
defeated,  many  of  them  being  made  prisoners. 

Cardenas  who  was  the  captain  of  the  soldiers  who  took 
part  in  that  fight,  having  received  orders  from  Coronado  not 
to  leave  a  single  Indian  ahve,  caused  to  be  burnt  alive  several 
Indians  who  had  gone  to  surrender  themselves  in  conformity 
with  the  peace  agreement  they  had  already  made  with  Juan 
de  Zaldivar,  Lopez,  and  Melgosa  about  which  Cardenas  knew 
nothing  until  he  had  consummated  one  of  the  blackest  crimes 
recorded  in  history. 

The  Indians  retired  to  their  pueblos  after  a  desperate 
struggle  justly  offended  and  filled  with  bitter  anguish  on 
account  of  the  treatment  they  had  received  at  the  hands  of 
those  they  had  welcomed  with  so  much  hospitality.  Despite 
the  incessant  snows  and  the  intensity  of  the  cold  during  60 
days,  Coronado  made  constant  efforts  to  re-establish  friendly 
relations  with  the  Indians;  but  the  Indians  refused  every 
overture,  stating  to  him  that  they  could  not  depend  on  men 
false  to  their  word  and  lacking  in  gratitude,  who,  not  satisfied 
with  holding  Bigotes  and   the  Governor  of  Cicuye  as  pri- 


144  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

soners  without  any  motive,  they,  not  only  violated  their 
homes  and  despoiled  the  Indians  of  all  they  had,  but  had  even 
burnt  alive  the  Indians  who  had  surrendered  themselves.  As 
Cardenas  had  been  the  man  who  had  committed  the  horrible 
crime,  Coronado  thought  it  opportune  to  send  him  to  the  In- 
dians to  give  satisfaction  for  what  he  had  done;  but  the  In- 
dians, although  Aleman  had  received  Cardenas  with  seeming 
friendliness,  assaulted  Cardenas  dealing  him  two  heavy  blows 
on  the  head  obliging  him  and  his  soldiers  to  flee.  When  Coro- 
nado learned  what  had  happened  to  Cardenas,  he  laid  siege 
to  the  pueblo,  held  it  in  blockade  for  15  days  during  which 
there  were  several  encounters,  with  the  loss  of  200  Indians, 
and  the  death  of  Francisco  de  Obando  and  many  wounded  on 
the  side  of  the  Spaniards;  Obando  was  taken  up  by  the  In- 
dians before  dying  and  carried  away  to  the  pueblo.  After 
such  a  heroic  struggle  on  the  part  of  the  Indians  they  sur- 
rendered to  the  Spaniards  when  they  could  no  longer  live  on 
account  of  the  insatiable  thirst  that  was  devouring  them,  but 
before  surrendering  they  had  killed  many  horses.  The  In- 
dians offered  to  deliver  to  the  Spaniards  the  women  and 
children  of  the  pueblo  in  order  to  be  able  themselves  to  con- 
tinue the  struggle,  and,  indeed,  they  delivered  100  small  and 
large  persons,  whom  the  Spaniards  received,  to  save  them 
their  lives. 

The  last  night  of  the  siege  they  made  an  attempt  to  go  out^ 
and  went  out  of  the  pueblo;  but  they  were  observed  b}^  the 
soldiers  of  Don  Rodrigo  Maldonado,  were  attacked,  and 
many  of  them,  together  with  one  Spanish  soldier,  perished 
in  the  encounter.  Those  who  remained  alive  made  a  preci- 
pitate flight  towards  the  Rio  Grande  where  many  perished 
by  drowning  and  a  large  portion  of  the  others  killed  by  the 
Spaniards.  Those  who  now  remained  alive  were  captured 
and  compelled  to  serve  as  servants  of  the  Spaniards. 
With  this  victory,  the  insurrection  of  the  Indians  of  Tiguex 
ended,  the  province  being  completely  abandoned  by  the 
beginning  of  March  1541. 

During  the  time  the  siege  of  Tiguex  lasted,  Coronado  made 
a  trip  to  Cicuy^,  carrying  with  him  the  governor  of  that  pueblo 
in  order  to  pacify  the  inhabitants  and  make  peace  with  them, 
a  thing  in  which  he  was  successful,  promising  them   that  he 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOliY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  145 

would  return  Bigotes  to  them.  In  that  way  the  Indians 
remained  very  well  pleased  and  submitted  to  Coronado.  Let 
us  now  leave  Coronado  making  his  preparations  for  the  march 
he  intended  to  make,  as  soon  as  the  ice  melted  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  (a  trip  which  he  was  able  to  undertake  on  the  tirst 
days  of  May  1541)  to  give  our  attention  to  Melchor  Diaz,  that 
we  may  in  this  way  avoid  a  void  in  the  history  of  this  memo- 
rable but  ill-fated  expedition. 

Lamentable  End  of  Melchor  Diaz. 

We  have  already  said  that  Melchor  Diaz,  after  discovering 
the  Rio  Tison  (Colorado  Grande),  crossed  said  river  continuing 
his  explorations  up  stream  towards  the  North,  and  that, 
before  starting  from  Senora,  he  had  left  another  man  in 
command  of  the  soldiers  there  remaining.  That  official  was 
Don  Diego  de  Alarcon.  A  little  before  raising  the  siege  of 
which  we  spoke  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  Coronado 
received  from  Alarcon  letters  informing  him,  not  only  of  the 
failure  of  Melchor  Diaz"s  expedition,  but  of  what  was  still 
more  unfortunate — the  death  of  Melchor  Diaz — a  great  mis- 
fortune for  the  expedition.  Castaneda  relates  the  sad  occur- 
rence in  these  words: 

"When  they  had  crossed  the  river  they  turned  to  the  sea 
coast  (the  Gulf  of  California)  traveling  in  a  southern  direction 
until  they  arrived  at  certain  banks  of  very  fine  sand  which 
they  were  unable  to  cross  because  they  would  have  been 
drowned  (perished  by  being  buried  in  the  sand  which  was 
movable  and  swampy)  as  in  the  sea,  for  when  they  set  their 
feet  on  the  sand  they  sank,  as  if  there  was  a  lake  beneath 
their  feet.  They  at  once  abandoned  that  road  and  took  another 
one.  During  the  journey,  a  bloodhound,  carried  by  one  of  the 
soldiers,  pounced  upon  the  sheep  they  drove  for  food  pur- 
poses. To  prevent  the  scattering  of  the  sheep,  Diaz  threw 
his  lance  at  the  bloodhound,  the  lance  burying  itself  in  the 
ground,  and  as  Diaz  fell  from  his  horse  which  was  running 
at  the  moment  of  throwing  his  lance,  his  body  hit  against  the 
lance  which  pierced  his  intestines.  This  accident  compelled 
Diaz  to  order  the  return  to  Seflora.  Twenty  days  after, 
during  which  the  Spaniards  suffered  a  great  deal  both  on 
account  of  their  daily  encounters  and  tights  with  the  Indians, 


146  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

and  of  the  difficulty  they  had  in  attending  to  their  captain, 
Diaz,  unable  to  support  any  longer  the  fatigues  of  the  journey, 
died  on  the  way." 

The  untoward  news  greatly  distressed  the  Spaniards,  and, 
in  order  better  to  learn  the  true  situation  of  what  had  happen- 
ed, Coronado  sent  out  Alvarado  to  investigate  everything,  and 
dispatched,  at  the  same  time,  emissaries  to  Mendoza  with 
reports  of  all  he  had  discovered,  and  of  the  death  of  Diaz.  At 
Senora,  the  Indians  of  the  pueblo,  which  the  Spaniards  called 
"Los  Vellacos,"  had  attacked  the  Spaniards  before  Alvarado's 
arrival,  with  poisoned  arrows  killing  a  soldier,  and  again  at- 
tacked them  afterwards;  but  this  time  they  were  pursued  to 
their  very  pueblo  by  Alcaraz  whom  Alvarado  had  sent  against 
them,  and,  after  their  defeat,  were  made  prisoners;  but,  as 
the  Indians  gave  blankets  and  robes  to  the  Spaniards,  they 
were  set  at  liberty  which  they  made  use  of  in  order  to  renew 
their  attacks  again  with  poisoned  arrows.  In  the  last  encoun- 
ter they  killed  seventeen  soldiers,  besides  compeUing  the 
Spaniards  to  move  from  Senora  to  another  place  they 
founded  and  called  "Suya,"  distant  forty  leagues  from  Senora 
in  the  direction  of  Cibola.  Such  was  the  end  of  Melchor 
Diaz's  expedition,  and  of  the  existence  of  the  Villa  of  Senora. 
Let  us  again  turn  our  attention  to  Coronado. 

Submission  of  the  Province  of  the  Queres  and  Voyage  of  Coronado  to 
La  Gran  Quivira. 

Coronado  unwilling  to  begin  his  voyage  to  his  so  much 
lauded  "Quivira"'  without  leaving  the  other  provinces  in  per- 
fect peace,  was  able,  without  any  obstacle  worthy  of  men- 
tion, to  obtain  ttie  submission  of  the  pueblo  of  Zia  (Chia)  and 
the  other  four  pueblos  of  the  province  called  "Queres"  or 
"Quirix",  Zia  being  the  tirst  one  to  submit.  Coronado  made 
a  signal  distinction  of  that  pueblo  by  presenting  to  it  four 
pieces  of  (cannon)  of  artillery  (the  four  were  broken — Coro- 
nado's  reason  for  giving  them).  The  Indians  of  the  twelve 
pueblos  of  the  province  of  Tiguex  were  the  only  ones  who 
would  not  surrender,  and  would  not  re-inhabit  their  pueblos. 
Having  pacified  the  provinces  alluded  to,  Coronado  sent  let- 
ters to  Don  Pedro  de  Tobar,  with  some  Indians  from  Cibola 
who  had  come  to  visit  Coronado,  telling  him  what  he  and  the 


ILLUSTRATED    IIISTOKY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  147 

others  should  do  in  order  to  follow  the  army,  and  how  they 
should  tind  letters  at  the  foot  of  certain  crosses  at  each  day's 
journey  on  the  road.  This  done,  the  army  set  out  from 
Tiguex,  at  the  beginning  of  May  for  Cicuy^,  a  place  where 
they  were  received  amid  rejoicings  and  welcomes  because 
Coronado  had  given  back  to  them  their  captain  Bigotes,  re- 
turning him  the  favor  by  presenting  to  Coronado  a  young 
Indian  called  Xabe  who  belonged  to  those  of  Quivira  and  who 
might  help  them  as  guide.  Before  going  any  further,  the 
author  desires  to  relate  an  incident  analogous  to  the  one 
which  happened  in  Culiacan  (ante)  in  the  diabolical  vision 
forged  by  Trujillo.  Here  it  is:  While  the  siege  of  the  pue- 
blos of  Tiguex  was  in  progress,  a  soldier  who  suspected 
Turco  of  being  a  wizard  had  the  singular  thought  of  locking 
up  Turco  in  a  room  in  order  to  undeceive  himself  as  to 
whether  or  not  Turco  was  a  wizard.  According  to  that  sol- 
dier, whose  name  was  Cervantes,  Turco  conversed  with  the 
devil  a  whole  night  long,  the  devil  being  enclosed  in  a  clay 
pitcher.  Cervantes  says  that  Turco  himself  admitted  it  and 
that  he  proved  what  he  had  admitted  with  this  question  he 
made  to  Cervantes: 

•'How  many  Christians  have  the  Indians  killed?"  To  which 
Cervantes  answered:  "They  have  not  killed  a  single  one." 
Turco  answered  indignantly:  "You  lie,  five  Christians  have 
died,  among  them  a  captain,"  (Obando)  wherefore  Cervantes 
believed  that  Turco  was  in  reality  in  league  with  the  devil. 
Let  us  now  follow  Coronado. 

Prom  Pecos  (Cicuy6)  the  famous  march  commenced  in  a 
southwest  direction  following  the  course  of  the  Pecos  River, 
with  the  young  Quivira  Indian,  Xabe,  as  guide,  till  they 
reached,  after  four  days'  journey, the  place  where theycrossed 
the  Pecos  River  (which  Cabeza  de  Vaca  called  Las  Vacas)  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Puerto  de  Luna  which  they  could  not 
cross  at  first  on  account  of  the  large  volume  of  water  that 
obliged  them  to  construct  a  bridge,  a  work  they  performed 
in  four  days.  Prom  that  place,  Coronado  sent  out  an  escort 
of  soldiers  and  Turco  as  vanguard  of  the  army,  the  army 
following  quite  near.  After  ten  days'  travel  they  arrived  at  an 
encampment  of  Indians  called  "Quereches''  who  are  known 
now  by  the  name  of  "Apaches  Vaqueros."    These  received 


148  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Coronado  in  a  friendly  manner,  because  Turco  had  told  them 
beforehand  that  they  should  do  so,  and  informed  him  carro- 
baratively  of  what  Turco  and  Xabe  had  before  told  him  con- 
cerning the  large  towns  that  they  would  find  along  the  large 
river.  From  the  Pecos  River  toward  the  interior  of  the 
plains  (The  Staked  Plain)  the  Spaniards  met  with  innumer- 
able herds  of  the  cows  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca — the  bison  or  buf- 
falo. 

The  army  travelled  more  and  more  for  several  days  getting 
further  and  further  into  the  vast  terrestrial  expanse  without 
finding  anything  else  except  bisons,  and  without  suffering 
anything  except  a  serious  incident.  Cardenas  (Garcia)  had 
an  arm  broken  and  one  soldier  lost  his  way.  To  find  the  lost 
soldier,  Coronado  sent  out  Don  Diego  de  L6pez  with  10  soldiers 
who  were  also  lost,  but  were  afterwards  found  by  the  In- 
dians called  "Taijas;"  the  poor  soldier  however  remained 
lost.  Lopez  and  his  companions  gave  Coronado  an  account 
of  an  incident  they  experienced  which  borders  not  only  on 
the  ridiculous,  but  even  on  what  is  incredible.  Lopez  speaks: 
"Such  a  great  number  of  cows  (bisons)  was  found  that 
many  were  killed  by  the  horses  in  the  chase  after  them 
towards  a  brook  that  glided  between  two  very  high  banks; 
and  the  number  of  cows  was  so  great  that  they  began  to  fall 
one  upon  another  till  they  perfectly  filled  the  brook  to  the 
top  of  the  banks,  many  of  them  passing  over  the  fallen  ones 
in  the  brook;  and  the  men  also  threw  themselves  over  that 
bridge  of  cows  without  knowing  what  had  happened,  losing 
by  the  fall  three  horses  with  their  saddles  and  trappings." 

It  was  learned  in  this  place  by  another  Indian  of  Quivira 
whom  they  called  "Ysopete"  who  had  joined  the  army,  that 
the  things  which  Turco  had  told  the  Spaniards  were  not  true, 
and  he  did  not  hesitate  to  tell  Coronado  that  Turco  was  a  liar. 
Coronado,  however,  did  not  want  to  believe  Ysopete,  always 
following  the  advice  of  the  mendacious  Turco.  After  a  few 
more  journeys  Coronado  arrived  at  a  very  large  encampment 
in  which  the  Spaniards  were  well  received,  the  Indians  giving 
them  presents  of  well  tanned  hides,  and  requesting  them  to 
bless  them,  as  it  had  been  done  many  years  before  by  three 
Spaniards  and  a  negro  (Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his  companions) 
who  passed  through  there.      Among    those    Indians,    the 


ILLUSTKATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  149 

Spaniards  saw  a  female  Indian  as  wliite  as  Spanish  women, 
whom  the  Spaniards  took  as  an  Albina. 

Thus  did  the  army  march  for  37  days  covering  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  per  day  without  finding  anything  more  than 
encampments  of  Indians,  abundance  of  buffalo  and  deer,  and, 
on  the  brow  of  the  hills,  sometimes  flocks  of  wild  or  moun- 
tain sheep,  experiencing  every  day  new  misfortunes  and 
hearing  daily  the  charges  against  Turco  by  Ysopete  and 
Xabe.  The  aridity  of  the  lands  that  they  were  discovering 
gave  them  little  hope  of  seeing  their  ideals  realized,  their 
discomfort  increasing  by  the  information  they  received  from 
the  Indians  of  the  last  encampment  to  the  effect,  that  La 
Qnivira  was  very  far  to  the  north,  and  that  Turco  had  been 
all  along  deceiving  them.  The  aspect  of  things  from  that  day 
commenced  to  change,  the  Spaniards  coming  short  of  killing 
Turco,  for  they  were  now  satisfied  that  he  was  a  miserable 
impostor  and  that  Xabe  and  Ysopete  had  told  them  the  truth. 
Coronado  seeing  that  El  Turco  had  made  fun  of  him  and  his 
army,  and  that  to  continue  the  march  further  into  the  interior 
with  the  army,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  his  provisions  were 
now  being  exhausted,  would  be  to  expose  it  to  unaccountable 
sufferings,  caused  Turco  to  be  fettered,  and  called  a  council 
of  his  officers  with  the  purpose  of  sounding  them  as  to 
whether  or  not  the  army  should  follow  on  or  return  to  Tiguex. 
The  majority  of  the  officers  were  of  opinion  that  the  army 
should  return  to  Tiguex  with  Don  Tristan  de  Arellano  at  the 
head,  and  that  General  Coronado  should  proceed  to  the  inte- 
rior of  the  land  with  thirty  mounted  and  six  infantry  soldiers. 
So  it  was  done,  in  spite  of  the  energetic  protest  made  by  the 
soldiers  to  the  effect  that  they  preferred  to  accompany  Coro- 
nado even  if  they  lost  their  lives.  Coronado  took  Turco,  the 
Indian  with  him,  not  as  one  of  his  staff  but  as  a  prisoner;  his 
wish  being  to  give,  in  that  way,  one  opportunity  more  to  that 
Uar  of  proving  that  what  he  had  told  Coronado  and  the  army 
was  certain.    Ysopete  also  accompanied  Coronado  as  a  guide. 

The  Army  Retrocedes  and    Coronado   Finds    the    so    Much    Talked  of 
Quivira. 

It  is  believed  that  the  place  where  Coronado  and  the  army 
separated  was  the  upper  part  of  Texas,  Rio  Colorado.     This 


150  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

is,  however,  a  mere  conjecture  of  the  persons  so  affirming. 
After  due  preparations  the  two  corps  separated, — Coronado 
accompanied  by  80  of  the  best  soldiers  well  equipped  and 
mounted  on  the  best  horses,  with  Ysopete,  and  other  Indians 
given  him  by  the  Teyas  acting  as  guides.  Coronado  en- 
trusted to  Don  Diego  de  Lopez  the  charge  of  the  command. 
The  Indians  whom  the  Teyas  had  sent  as  guides  for  Coronado 
did  not  long  stand  the  fatigues  and  long  marches;  they  es- 
caped out  a  few  days  after  the  departure.  That  circum- 
stance compelled  Coronado  to  send  Diego  de  Lopez  to  the 
nation  of  the  Teyas  after  other  guides.  Arellano  was  still  in 
the  land  of  the  Teyas  hunting  buffaloes  and  preparing  and 
fixing  the  meat  for  the  subsistence  of  the  army  in  its  long 
march  to  Tiguex.  As  Coronado  knew  that  Arellano  had  not 
yet  set  out  on  his  march  of  retreat,  he  sent  him  orders  with 
Lopez  to  hasten  the  return  of  the  army  to  Tiguex  where  they 
were  to  wait  for  him.  The  new  order  did  not  please  the 
army  because  all  the  soldiers  were  still  in  hopes  that  Coro- 
nado would  rescind  his  first  order,  and  allow  them  to  accom- 
pany him.  The  Teyas  gave  Lopez  other  guides  enabling  him 
to  return  to  where  Coronado  was.  When  this  happened, 
Coronado  had  already  travelled  for  15  days.  When  Lopez 
had  joined  Coronado  again,  they  contiuned  the  march  with 
the  firm  resolve  not  to  abandon  those  lands  till  they  had  dis- 
covered the  Quivira  and  its  fabulous  riches. 

After  forty  days"  journey  counted  from  the  day  when  he 
separated  from  the  army,  and  during  which  nothing  worthy 
of  mention  had  been  seen,  Coronado  arrived  at  the  far- 
famed  Quivira,  which  was  nothing  more,  according  to  Cas- 
tan^da,  than  one  of  the  many  Indian  encampments  where 
they  lived  in  slender  huts  like  the  ones  they  had  seen  since 
they  crossed  the  Rio  de  Las  Vacas  (Rio  de  Pecos).  The 
reader  may  well  understand  the  class  of  ideas  that  on  that 
moment  crowded  upon  the  minds  of  CoronaHo  and  his  men; 
one  may  well  imagine  the  anguish  of  Coronado's  soul  on 
realizing  so  bitter  a  disappointment;  and  how  he  foresaw  in 
this  failure,  not  only  the  loss  of  hiij  fortune,  but  even  that, 
which  in  his  estimation  was  as  precious  as  life  itself — his 
prestige  as  a  soldier  and  a  conqueror.  At  that  moment  the 
laurels   with  which  he  had  hoped  to  wreathe  his   brow,  in 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  151 

imitation  of  Cortes,  were  turned  into  piercing  thorns.  Turn- 
ing to  the  Indian  chiefs,  who  had  received  him  with  demon- 
strations  of  genuine  joy,  he  told  them  that  Turco  had 
deceived  him;  whereupon  the  said  chiefs  asked  Turco  many 
questions,  accusing  him  as  a  Har,  and  requiring  of  him  to 
state  the  reasons  he  had  had  for  deceiving  Coronado,  and 
for  obliging  him  thereby  to  travel  through  those  deserts. 
Turco,  in  answer,  said  that  his  own  land  lay  in  those  sec- 
tions; and,  besides  that,  he  had  been  advised  by  the  Indians 
of  Cicuye  to  deceive  the  Spaniards,  carrying  them  through 
plains  that  they  might  perish  from  hunger  both  themselves 
and  their  horses,  or,  at  least,  should  they  return  to  Cicuye, 
they  would  return  so  extenuated  that  they  (the  Indians) 
would  not  have  trouble  in  killing  them  all.  All  the  satisfac- 
tion Coronado  could  get  from  that  ruinous  voyage  was  that 
of  punishing  Turco  by  taking  his  life  away  by  the  penalty  of 
the  garrote  (strangulation). 

Regarding  the  precise  place  in  which  Coronado  ended  his 
voyage,  and  the  route  he  followed  in  order  to  arrive  at  it, 
nothing  is  known  with  certainty.  All  American  writers 
differ,  but  they  agree  unanimously,  that  it  was  the  river 
known  by  the  name  of  "San  Pedro  y  San  Pablo,''  or  the 
Arkansas,  in  the  State  of  Kansas,  to  the  east  of  the  place 
where  the  present  city  of  Dodge  City  is  founded,  near  the 
"Great  Bend"  of  Kansas.  In  the  same  way  all  authors  are 
agreed  in  the  conclusion  that  the  Indians  Coronado  found  in 
La  Quivira  were  the  ones  known  today  as  the  "Wichita" 
Indians,  who  are  also  the  ones  that  always  inhabited  that 
part  of  the  continent.  Let  us  leave  Coronado  here,  and  give 
now  our  attention  to  the  army. 

The  Army  In  Its  March  of  Retreat. 

A  soon  as  Arrellano  became  convinced  that  his  endeavors 
and  those  of  his  soldiers  to  accompany  Coronado  had  been 
useless  he  set  himself  energetically  to  the  work  of  prepara- 
tion for  his  long  journey. 

The  soldiers  and  friendly  Indians  had  killed  about  500 
buffaloes  and  dressed  the  meat  by  sun-drying  it,  with  which, 
believing  themselves  well  provided,  they  commenced  their 
return  following  a  more  direct  route  than  the  one  shown  them 


152  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

by  their  Teyas  guides  and  covering  the  distance  in  25  days, 
■while  in  the  first  journey  they  had  delayed  thirty  seven  days. 
Regarding  the  method  observed  by  the  Indian  guides  (maps, 
as  the  Spaniards  termed  them,)  in  order  not  to  get  lost  in 
those  inmense  plains,  Castafieda  says: 

"In  the  morning  they  notice  the  rising  of  the  sun  observing 
next  and  marking  the  direction  or  way  towards  which  they 
were  traveling.  Then  they  shot  an  arrow  towards  thedirect- 
ion  they  were  going,  following  that  direction  till  they  ap- 
proached the  place  where  the  arrow  had  fallen  and  shooting 
another  one  in  the  same  direction  before  reaching  the  first 
one.  Thej^  repeated  the  performance,  the  whole  day  long, 
during  the  twenty  five  days  that  the  march  lasted,  while  in 
the  first  voyage  it  took  us  thirty  seven  days."'  * 

In  his  long  march,  Arrellano  saw  nothing  particular,  nor 
did  he  meet  anything  of  any  importance  except  some  lakes  of 
very  good  and  rich  salt  and  of  very  crystalline  waters  and 
many  little  animals  which  looked  like  the  squirrels  of  Spain 
and  live  all  over  the  plains  congregated  in  numerous  holes."' 
(Tusas,  prairie  dogs,  as  they  are  called  in  New  Mexico.)  The 
army  arrived  at  the  Pecos  River  about  80  miles  further 
down  than  the  place  where  they  had  constructed  the  bridge, 
and,  as  they  could  not  cross  the  river  they  had  to  travel  up  the 
stream  till  they  arrived  at  the  bridge  and  there  crossed  the 
river  following  the  march  up  to  Cicuye  with  the  belief  that 
the  Indians  of  that  pueblo  w^ould  receive  them  cordially  and 
with  rejoicings, -but  they  werejmistaken,  for  those  Indians  not 
only  refused  to  welcome  them  into  the  pueblo,  but  received 
them  with  bellicose  demonstrations,  their  conspiracy  with 
Turco being  thus  proven.  Arellano  did  not  insist  on  submitting 
them  to  obedience,  he  and  his  soldiers  not  being  ingood  trim 
to  give  battle.  He  tried  to  make  peace  with  the  Indians,  but 
they  proudly  rejected  all  his  proposals,  wiierefore  he  deter- 
mined upon  a  sagacious  and  prudent  course  of  action  and 
followed  his  march  for  Tiguex  reaching  that  place  in  July 
1541.  Hefound  that  the  Indians  had  returned  to  their  pueblos, 
but  with  the  arrival  of  the  army,  they  again  abandoned  them 
through  the  fear  and  terror  inspired  in  them  by  the  presence 

*  ("astaneda  Relat-ion. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  153 

of  the  Spaniards,  since  the  time  Cardenas  had  burnt  alive  so 
many  of  them. 

Other  Provinces  are  Discovered.     Goronado  Returns. 

Immediately  upon  his  arrival  at  Tiguex,  Arellano  sent 
Capt.  Francisco  Barrionuevo,  commanding  a  company  of  sol- 
diers, in  search  of  provisions  in  the  neighboring  provinces. 
Barrionuevo  discovered  the  province  of  Jemez  which  was 
composed  of  seven  pueblos  (actually  there  is  only  one.)  To 
the  Northeast  of  Tiguex  and  Yuqueryunque  near  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Chama  River  with  the  Rio  Grande,  he  struck  two 
pueblos  (doubtless,  one  was  the  pueblo  of  San  Juan,  the 
other  does  not  exist).  At  Jemez,  he  gathered  many  provi- 
sions without  any  hindrance,  for  the  Indians  received  them 
with  unexpected  good  grace.  The  Indians  of  Yuqueryunque 
flew  to  the  mountains  in  a  place  where  they  had  four  pueblos 
in  sites  so  rugged  that  the  horses  were  not  able  to  get  to 
them.  In  the  pueblos  that  had  been  abandoned,  pieces  of 
metal  were  found  indicating,  says  Castafleda,  that  "some- 
where there  mines  of  gold  and  silver  existed".  * 

Thence  Barrionuevo  continued  his  march  towards  the 
Northwest,  till  he  reached  another  pueblo  called  Braba 
(which  is  no  other  than  the  actual  pueblo  of  Taos)  to  which, 
on  account  of  being  the  best  constructed  one  they  had  till 
then  seen,  and  because  a  small  stream  crossed  it,  as  it  does 
now,  through  its  center,  they  named  it  "Valladolid.'"  An- 
other captain  wiiom  Arellano  had  sent  to  explore  the  lands  to 
the  south  of  Tiguex,  upon  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande  tra- 
velled 30  leagues  and  discovered  the  province  of  "Piro"  In- 
dians  composed  of  four  pueblos  (not  actually  existing.)  Con- 
tinuing his  voyage  down  the  river  he  reached  a  place  on  the 
Rio  Grande  where  the  water  disappears  from  the  surface  of 
the  land  and  thence  returned  to  Tiguex  because  he  had  no 
authority  to  go  over  80  leagues,  and  because  the  time  fixed 
for  the  return  of  Coronado  was  quite  near  at  hand. 

When  the  Captain  had  arrived  (Castaiieda  gives  not  his 
name)  from  the  province  of  Los  Piros,  and,  as  the  time  of 
Coronados  arrival  was  drawing  near,  Arellano,  at  the  head  of 

*  According'  to  the  latest  historians    these  four   pueblos  are  those 
pueblos  situated  in  the  Pajarito  Canon.— Thk  Author. 


154  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

forty  men,  started  out  to  meet  Coronado.  At  Cicuye  he  found 
the  Indians  in  readiness  to  give  him  battle.  He  engaged 
them  killing  many  and  among  the  dead  were  many  caciques. 
Arellano  fearing  that  the  Indians  of  Cicuye  might  make  war 
on  Coronado  remained  there  for  several  days  waiting  for  the 
arrival  of  Coronado  who  had  already  sent  him  word  by  an 
Indian  of  his  arrival  at  Cicuye. 

Coronado  did  not  delay  long  his  arrival,  his  presence  being 
a  motive  of  much  pleasure,  not  only  for  the  Spaniards,  but 
for  the  Indians  of  Cicuy^  as  well,  who  had  now  tamed  down 
by  means  of  the  punishment  administered  to  them  by  Ar- 
ellano. No  one,  however,  rejoiced  more  than  the  Indian,  Xabe, 
who  had  returned  from  the  land  of  the  Teyas  with  Arellano 
and  was  at  Cicuy6  on  that  day.  Xabe,  overflowing  with  satis- 
faction on  hearing  that  Turco  had  been  put  to  death,  burst 
into  a  mighty  laughter,  as  he  asked  the  Spaniards,  who  was 
the  liar  he  or  Turco?  After  the  ordinary  salutations  had 
passed  off  Coronado  continued  his  march  for  Tiguex  with 
hopes  of  returning  to  Quivira,  for  the  idea  that  in  that  place 
much  gold  and  silver  existed  never  deserted  his  mind  for  a 
moment.  Immediately  upon  his  arrival  at  Tiguex,  he  gave 
his  orders  and  made  the  necessary  arrangements  in  order  to 
spend  his  second  winter  at  Tiguex.  As  some  historians 
(among  them.  Prince)  give  it  as  their  opinion  that  Coronado 
actually  visited  the  Missouri  River,  the  author  of  this  work 
deems  it  opportune  to  give  his  reason  for  believing  the  con- 
trary; that  is,  that  Coronado  did  not  visit,  nor  even  saw  the 
Missouri  River.  The  great  river  which  Fernando  De  Soto 
discovered — the  Mississippi — De  Soto  called  "The  River  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  That  river,  which,  at  the  place  where  De 
Soto  discovered  it,  is  the  Missouri  and  the  Mississippi 
together,  is  the  one  to  which  Castaneda  refers  in  his  "Rela- 
cion;''  and,  that  neither  Coronado  nor  his  men  ever  saw  it,  he 
himself  tells  us  in  these  words: 

"From  trustworthy  information  that  I  could  obtain,  it  (the 
river)  passes  through  the  province  of  Arache.  It  was  not 
visited,  because,  as  they  say,  it  comes  from  very  distant  lands 
out  of  the  mountains  of  the  South  Sea." 

Since  we  have  now  Coronado  quartered  in  Tiguex,  let  us 
hear  the  words  of  the  historian  Mota  Padilla  concerning:  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  155 

failure  of  Coronado'sexpeditionstolaQuivira,  and  the  reasons 
he  gives  us  in  support  of  his  opinion.     Padilla  speaks: 

"Perhaps  it  was  a  punishment  from  God  that  those  of  this 
expedition  should  find  no  riches,  for  instead  of  thinking 
first  on  the  conversion  of  those  heretics  they  set  all  their 
endeavors  in  looking  after  riches,  struggling  against  fate, 
and  making,  what  should  have  been  their  first  aim,  a  second- 
ary affair."' 

A  few  days  after  Coronado's  arrival  at  Tiguex,  Pedro  de 
Tobar  arrived  from  San  Jeronimo  bringing  in  new  soldiers 
with  the  purpose  of  going  to  look  for  Coronado  at  la  Quivira. 
As  he  did  not  expect  to  meet  with  Coronado  at  Tiguex,  he 
was  greatly  distressed,  together  with  his  soldiers,  because 
they  all  were  anxious  to  visit  the  far-famed  Quivira.  Coro- 
nado consoled  them  with  the  hope  that,  after  the  winter  was 
passed,  the  army  would  again  go  to  Quivira.  Tobar  brought 
letters  from  Mendoza  for  Coronado,  and  from  individual  per- 
sons for  the  soldiers;  among  these,  one  came  for  Garcia 
Lopez  de  Cardenas  in  which  the  announcement  was  made  to 
him  of  the  demise  in  Spain  of  a  brother  of  his  w4io  had  left 
him  a  rich  heritage. 

Clothing  had  become  so  scarce  among  the  Spaniards  who 
had  gone  to  Quivira  that  Coronado  was  obliged  to  look  for 
clothes  among  the  friendly  Indians.  He  collected  some 
articles,  which  the  officers  appropriated  to  themselves  and 
their  favorites  unmindful  altogether  of  the  soldiers.  Great 
discontent  was  the  result  of  such  a  proceeding  which  gave 
birth  to  very  serious  murmurings  and  great  dissatisfaction, 
culminating  in  the  disclosure  of  the  truth  about  the  false 
riches  of  Quivira.  The  soldiers  told  Tobar,  and  to  those  who 
had  come  with  him  from  San  Jeronimo,  that  the  whole  story 
about  la  Quivira  had  been  a  deceit  played  upon  the  Spaniards 
and  planned  by  the  Indians  of  Cicuy^  and  Turco  in  order  to 
cause  the  death  of  the  army  in  the  plains.  This  declaration 
accelerated  the  sinister  unravelling  of  the  ill-fated  expedition , 
as  will  be  seen. 

Coronado  himself  secretly  suffered  from  the  bitterness  of 
the  deceit  practiced  on  him  by  the  Indian,  Turco;  he  certainly 
spoke  as  though  he  really  desired  to  undertake  a  second 
voyage   to  Quivira,  but  his  heart  yearned  for  a  propitious 


156  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

opportunity  to  present  itself  to  him  of  returning  to  Nev/ 
Spain.  The  duty  of  declaring  the  truth  to  his  sovereign 
could  not  be  evaded,  but  he  delayed  the  fulfillment  of  that 
duty  until  October  20th,  15-41,  the  day  on  which  he  wrote  his 
report,  or  account,  to  the  Emperor  of  the  ill-fated  voyage  to 
Quivira  in  the  following  words:*  (Taken  from  volume  3  of 
'•Coleccion  de  Documentos  Niedito,"  in  the  hands  of  the 
author  of  this  work).  '  /(•^t'.cct-. 

^'Letter  of  Francisco  Vasquez  Coronado  to  the  Emperor  Giving  Him  an 
Account  of  the  Expedition  to  the  Province  of  Quivira  and  of  the 
Inexactness  of  What  was  Related  to  Fr.  Marcos  de  Niza  Concern- 
ing That  Country."     S.  C.  C.  M. 

'On  the  20th  of  April  of  this  year,  I  wrote  to  your  majesty, 
from  this  province  of  Tiguex,  in  answer  to  a  letter  from  Y. 
M.,  done  at  Madrid,  on  the  11th  of  June  of  last  year, and  I  gave 
you  particular  account  and  information  about  this  journe}" 
which  the  viceroy  of  New  Spain  commanded  me  to  make  in 
the  name  of  Y.  M.  to  this  land  which  was  discovered  by  Fray 
Marcos  de  Niza,  provincial  of  the  order  of  Seiior  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  of  what  the  whole  of  it  is,  and  of  the  class  of  peo- 
ple, as  Y.  M.  must  have  ordered  it  to  be  seen  by  my  letters, 
and  that  while  attending  to  the  conquest  and  pacification  of 
the  natives  of  this  province,  certain  native  Indians  of  other 
provinces  beyond  these  ones  had  given  me  account,  to  the 
elTect  that  in  their  land,  there  were  much  larger  pueblos,  and 
better  houses  than  those  of  the  natives  of  this  land,  and  there 
were  lords  who  commanded  them,  and  who  were  served  in 
golden  vases,  and  other  things   of  much  grandeur.     And 

*NoTE  — Coronado's  letter  is  given  verbatim  for  two  reasons,  i.  e. 
(1)  Because  when  the  first  Spanish  edition  of  tliis  work  was  pub- 
lished, the  authority  containing-  said  letter  had  not  been  received  by 
me  from  Spain,  and  (2)  to  conclusively  contradict,  by  Coronado's 
own  words,  the  erroneous  and  false  statements,  so  often  published  that 
Coronado  visited  the  site  where  now  stands  the  city  of  Santa  Fe.  The 
reader  will  observe  in  readino-  this  letter  from  Coronado  to  the 
Emperor  that  he,  Coronado,  complains  of  the  inclement  cold  and  the 
absolute  scarcity  of  wood  (fuel).  Wood  was  then  as  it  is  today, 
abundant  close  to  Santa  Fe,  the  city  being-  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierras 
and  practically  enclosed  by  pinon,  cedar  and  pine  forests.— The 
Author. 


ILLUSTRATKD   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MKXICO.  157 

although,  as  I  wrote  to  Y.  M.,  because  it  was  the  story  of 
Indians,  and  at  that  by  means  of  signs,  I  would  not  believe 
them  until  I  saw  it  with  my  own  eyes,  the  story  seeming  to 
me  quite  great  and  important  to  the  service  of  Y.  M.,  that  it 
should  be  seen,  i  determined  to  go,  with  the  men  I  have  here, 
and  see  it,  and  I  started  from  this  province  on  the  28d  of  the 
month  of  April  last  by  the  ways  the  Indians  offered  to  lead 
me.  And  after  nine  days  of  travel  I  came  to  such  large 
plains,  that,  through  where  I  traversed  them,  I  found  no  end 
to  them,  although  I  traveled  through  them  for  more  than  300 
leagues;  and  in  them  I  found  so  great  a  quantity  of  the  cows 
about  which  I  wrote  to  Y.  M.  that  existed  in  these  lands  that 
to  count  them  is  impossible,  for  not  a  single  day,  while  I 
traveled  through  the  plains  until  my  return,  did  I  loose  sight 
of  them.  And  after  traveling  for  17  days  I  encountered  an 
encampment  of  Indians  who  follow  these  cows,  who  are 
called  Querechos,  and  do  not  plant  (or  sow  the  land)  and  they 
eat  the  raw  meat  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  cows  they  kill. 
They  tan  the  hides  of  the  cows,  with  which  all  the  people  of 
this  land  dress;  they  have  pavilions  (huts)  made  of  the  tanned 
and  greased  hides  of  the  cows,  all  well  done.  They  dwell  in 
them,  and  go  with  the  cows  moving  with  them.  They  have 
dogs  of  burden,  and  on  them  they  transport  their  tents  and 
poles  and  other  little  articles.  They  are  the  best  disposed 
people  which  I  have  to  this  day  ssen  in  Indies.  These  people 
could  not  give  me  any  information  of  the  land  to  which  the 
guides  were  carrying  me;  and  through  where  they  wished  to 
guide  me  I  traveled  for  tive  days  until  1  arrived  to  certain  plains 
so  destitute  of  any  sign  as  if  we  were  engulfed  in  the  sea:  here 
they  (the  guides)  were  at  helter-skelter  for  in  all  of  them  (the 
plains)  there  is  not  a  stone,  nor  a  hill,  nor  a  shrub,  nor  an^'- 
thing  alike;  there  are  many  and  very  fine  pasture  grounds 
with  good  grass.  And  lost  as  we  were  in  these  plains,  some 
mounted  men  who  went  out  hunting  cows  met  some  Indians 
who  were  also  a-hunting  who  are  enemies  of  the  ones  I  met 
in  the  encampment  I  had  left,  and  another  nation  of  people 
called  the  Teyas,  with  their  bodies  and  faces  tattooed,  tallin 
size,  and  very  well  disposed  people.  These  also,  like  the 
Querechos,  eat  the  meat  raw;  live  and  go  after  the  same 
manner,  with  the  cows.     From  these  I  had  an  account  of  the 


158  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

land  to  which  the  guides  were  carrying  me,  that  it  was  not 
as  they  had  told  me,  for  these  represented  to  me  the  houses 
as  of  straw  and  hides  and  not  of  stone  and  of  several  stories 
as  the  guides  I  carried  had  represented  them,  and  in  them  a 
little  of  corn  food.  And  with  this  news  I  felt  quite  anxious, 
OD  seeing  myself  in  those  plains  without  end,  where  I  was  in 
sore  need  of  water,  and  where  many  a  time  I  had  to  drink  of 
so  bad  a  quality  that  it  had  a  greater  part  of  dirt  than  of 
water.  There  the  guides  confessed  to  me  that  only  about  the 
grandeur  of  the  houses  they  had  not  told  me  the  truth,  for 
they  were  of  straw,  that  in  the  multitude  of  the  people  and 
other  things  of  policy,  they  did  say  it  (the  truth)  and  the 
Teyas  were  against  this.  And  because  of  this  division  between 
the  Indians,  and  also  because  it  was  already  some  days  that 
many  of  the  men  who  were  with  me  ate  only  meat,  the  corn 
which  I  took  from  this  province  having  given  out;  and  because 
from  the  land  where  I  met  these  Teyas  to  the  land  whither 
the  guides  were  taking  me  there  would  be,  it  was  reckoned, 
more  than  forty  days  of  traveling;  although  the  fatigue  and 
peril  was  represented  to  me  which  might  be  on  the  journey 
through  the  want  of  water  and  corn,  it  seemed  best  to  me, 
through  no  motive  but  that  of  serving  Y.  M.,  to  go  on  ahead, 
with  only  thirty  mounted  men,  till  I  got  to  see  the  land,  so  I 
might  be  able  to  give  your  majesty  a  true  account  of  what  I 
might  therein  see.  And  1  sent  all  the  rest  of  the  men  I  had 
back  to  this  province  with  D.  Tristan  de  Arellano  as  chief 
commander;  for,  according  to  the  lack  of  waters,  in  addition 
to  the  circumstance  that  they  had  to  kill  bulls  and  cows  for 
the  purpose  of  feeding  themselves  there  being  no  other  food 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  prevent  many  men  from 
having  perished,  if  all  had  gone  ahead  with  me.  And  with 
only  the  thirty  mounted  men  which  I  took  in  my  company  I 
traveled  for  42  days  after  I  left  the  army  all  of  us  feeding 
only  on  the  meat  of  the  bulls  and  cows  we  killed  at  the  cost 
of  some  horses  which  were  killed,  for  those  animals  are,  as  I 
have  written  to  you,  very  daring  fierce;  going  for  several  days 
without  water  and  cooking  our  meals  by  means  of  dry  cow- 
dung,  for  there  is  not  any  kind  of  wood  in  all  these  prairies 
outside  of  the  creeks  and  rivers  which  are  quite  few." 

"Our  Lord  was  pleased  that,  after  having  at  last  travelled 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  150 

tlirouirli  those  deserts  for  (u  days,  I  arrived  at  the  province 
called  Quivira  to  which  the  guides  were  taking  me  and  which 
they  had  described  as  with  stone  houses  and  of  many  stories; 
and  not  only  are  they  not  stone  houses,  but  they  are  straw 
houses,  and  their  people  are  as  barbarous  as  all  others,  I  have 
seen  and  come  across  till  now;  for  they  have  no  coverings,  nor 
cotton  to  make  them  out  of,  but  only  hides  which  they  tan 
from  the  cows  they  kill  for  they  are  settled  among  them  on  a 
quite  large  river.  They  eat  the  meat,  raw,  like  the  Querechos 
and  Teyas.  They  are  mutual  enemies,  but  they  are  of  the 
same  manner  of  people;  and  those  of  Quivira  are  ahead  of  the 
others  in  the  houses  they  have  and  in  planting  corn.  In  this 
province,  of  which  the  guides  that  took  me  thereto  are  native- 
born  Indians,  I  was  received  peacefully,  and  though,  when 
I  started  they  told  me  that  I  would  not  be  able  to  see  it  all 
even  in  two  months,  there  are  not  in  it,  neither  is  there  in  all 
the  rest  that  I  saw  and  learned  about,  more  than  25  pueblos 
with  straw  houses,  all  of  which  rendered  obedience  to  Your 
Majesty  and  placed  themselves  under  your  Royal  Lordship. 
Their  people  are  tall  grown  individuals  and  I  had  some  [udians 
measured  who  had  ten  palms  of  stature;  the  women  are  of 
good  disposition,  their  faces  are  more  after  a  moorish  than  an 
Indian  appearance.  The  natives  gave  me  there  a  piece  of  cop- 
per which  an  Indian  chief  had  hanging  from  the  neck.  I  sent  it 
to  the  viceroy  of  New^  Spain,  because  I  have  not  seen  in  these 
parts  any  other  metal  but  that,  as  well  as  some  small  copper 
bells  which  I  sent  him  and  a  small  quantity  of  metal  which 
looked  like  gold,  and  which  I  have  not  known  whence  it  came 
but  I  believe  that  the  Indians  who  gave  it  to  me  got  it 
from  the  ones  I  have  here  with  me  at  my  service,  for  I  don't 
know  anywhere  else  it  might  have  had  its  origin,  neither  do 
I  know  whence  it  may  be.  The  diversit3^  of  languages  in  this 
land,  and  the  lack  of  persons  understanding  them  has  been  a 
drawback  to  me.  In  every  pueblo  they  speak  their  ow^n 
(language).  I  have,  therefore,  been  obliged  to  send  out  captains 
and  men  to  many  places  in  order  to  learn  whether  in  this  land 
there  is  any  place  where  your  Majesty  might  be  served;  and, 
although  this  object  has  been  sought  with  all  diligence  possible, 
no  settlement  has  been  found,  neither  have  I  had  notice  of 
any,  except  these  provinces  which  are  quite  a  small   thing. 


160  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

The  province  of  Quivira  lies  nine-hundred  and  fifty  leagues 
distant  from  Mexico;  through  where  I  came,  it  isat  40degrees. 
The  land  is,  of  itself,  the  most  suited  of  all  I  have  seen  to  yield 
all  the  things  in  Spain,  because,  in  addition  to  being  in  itself, 
thick  and  black  and  of  having  very  good  waters  in  creeks, 
springs,  and  rivers,  I  found  everything  raised  in  Spain,  such 
as  nutmegs,  and  sweet  grapes,  and  very  good  raspberries. 
In  conformity  with  what  your  Majesty  has  commanded,  I 
have  given  the  best  treatment  possible  both  to  the  natives  of 
that  province  and  the  rest  I  have  met  wherever  I  have  passed, 
and  in  nothing  have  they  been  aggrieved  by  me  or  by  those  in 
my  company.  I  stayed  in  this  province  of  Quivira  for  25 
days  both  with  the  object  of  seeing  and  walking  through  the 
land  as  well  as  to  gain  information  as  to  whether  further  on 
there  might  be  anything  that  might  serve  Your  Majesty,  for 
the  guides,  I  had,  had  given  me  notice  of  the  existence  of 
other  provinces  further  on.  And  (the  information)  I  could 
obtain,  is  that  there  was  neither  gold  nor  any  other  metal  in 
that  land;  and  the  rest  about  which  they  gave  me  an  account 
are  but  small  pueblos;  and  in  many  of  them  they  do  not  plant 
and  have  no  houses  except  huts  made  of  hides  and  reeds,  and 
go  roving  about  with  the  cows.  Thus  it  was  that  the  infor- 
mation they  gave  me  was  false,  for  the  purpose  of  having  me 
go  there  with  all  my  men,  believing  that,  by  reason  of  so 
many  deserts  and  uninhabited  places  in  the  road,  they  might 
lead  us  into  a  part  where  both  our  horses  and  ourselves  would 
die  of  hunger.  And  so  tbe  guides  confessed  it,  and  that, 
with  the  advice  and  command  of  the  natives  of  these  provinces, 
they  had  done  it.  And  with  this,  after  having  seen  the  land 
of  Quivira,  and  having  had  the  information  of  what  was 
further  on,  which  I  state  above,  I  returned  to  this  province 
to  put  the  men  on  their  guard  whom  I  had  sent  back,  and 
also  to  give  information  to  Your  Majesty  about  what  that  land 
is,  for  I  wrote  to  Your  Majesty  that  I  would  do  so  on  seeing 
it.  I  have  done  all  that  has  been  possible  for  me  to  do  in 
order  to  serve  Your  Majesty  and  to  discover  land  wherever 
God,  Our  Lord,  might  be  served,  and  the  patrimony  of  Your 
Majesty  expanded,  as  your  loyal  servant  and  vassal;  for, 
since  I  have  arrived  at  the  province  of  Cibola,  where  the 
Viceroy  of  New  Spain  sent  me  in  the  name  of  Your  Majesty, 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOKY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  161 

having  seen  there  was  nothing  of  what  Fr.  Marcos  said,  I 
have  tried  to  discover  this  land,  200  leagues  and  more  in 
circuit  around  Cibola,  and  the  best  I  have  found  is  this  river 
of  Tiguex  where  I  am  and  its  towns  which  are  not  in  position 
to  be  peopled,  because,  in  addition  to  their  being  at  a  distance 
of  400  leagues  from  the  sea  of  the  North  and  from  the  South 
Sea  more  than  200,  where  no  possible  manner  of  trading  can 
exist,  the  land  is  so  cold,  as  I  have  written  to  Your  Majesty, 
that  it  seems  impossible  for  winter  to  be  spent  therein 
there  being  neither  wood  nor  clothing  wherewith  men  might 
be  sheltered  but  only  hides  with  which  the  natives  dress  and' 
some  cotton  coverings  in  small  quantity.  I  send  the  Viceroy 
of  New  Spain  information  of  all  1  have  seen  in  the  lands  I 
have  gone  through:  and,  as  Don  GonzaloPferez  de  Cdrdenas  is 
going  to  kiss  the  hands  of  Your  Majesty,  who  in  this  journey 
has  worked  much  and  served  Your  Majesty  very  well,  and 
will  give  Your  Majesty  information  concerning  everything 
here,  as  a  man  who  has  seen  all,  to  him  do  I  refer  myself. — 
And  may  Our  Lord  preserve  the  S.  C.  C.  person  of  Your 
Majesty  with  the  increase  of  larger  realms  and  dominions  as 
we  your  loyal  servants  and  vassals  do  wish. — Prom  this 
province  of  Tiguex,  on  the  20  of  October  of  the  year  1541. — 
S.  C.  C.  M,  Your  Majesty's  humble  servant  and  vassal  who 
kisses  your  royal  feet  and  hands." 

(Rubric)  "Francisco  Vasquez  de  Coronado." 

Goronado  is  Hurt- — Cardenas  Returns. 

The  Spaniards  passed  the  winter  in  extreme  poverty,  their 
consternation  increasing  with  the  confusion  that  overtook  the 
army  through  a  lamentable  accident  suffered  by  Coronado. 
While  taking  a  ride  in  company  of  Rodrigo  Maldonado,  and 
mounted  on  a  very  fiery  horse  running  at  full  speed,  the  cinch 
of  his  saddle  burst,  and  Coronado  had  such  a  terrific  fall,  the 
horse  trampling  his  body,  that  he  was  so  badly  hurt  as  to  be 
on  the  point  of  death,  and  had  to  be  confined  to  his  bed  for 
quite  a  length  of  time.  The  accident  is  attributed  by  Casta- 
fieda  to  Providence  that  the  second  voyage  to  Quivira  might 
not  be  carried  into  effect.     Let  us  hear  him : 

"The  trip  to  Quivira  had  now  been  announced  and  the 
necessary  preparations  were  being  made.     But  as  nothing 


162  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

in  this  world  is  at  the  disposal  of  man,  and  God  Almighty 
operates  in  everything,  it  was  His  Will  that  everything 
should  fail,  and  that  the  fatal  fall  should  happen  to  the  gen- 
eral himself." 

While  the  general  was  still  ill,  Cardenas  arrived  in  Tiguex  . 
stating  that  he  had  to  turn  back  from  Suya  because  he  had 
found  the  village  in  ruins,  that  it  had  been  set  on  tire,  and 
that  all  the  Spaniards,  many  Indians,  and  all  the  horses 
were  dead.  The  evil  news  was  not  communicated  to  Coro- 
nado  at  once;  they  had  to  wait  till  he  became  better.  When 
he  recuperated,  the  disaster  was  announced  to  him,  the  effect 
of  which  affecting  him  so  badly  that  he  relapsed  into  bed 
refusing  to  be  interviewed.  With  the  general's  relapse  the 
confusion  among  the  soldiery  increased  and  the  idea  occurred 
to  Coronado  of  secretly  considering  his  return  to  Mexico  on 
account  of  deeming  himself  seriously  ill.  He  therefore  com- 
menced at  once  to  plan  the  manner  most  conducive  to  carry 
his  determination  into  effect  without  appearing  himself  as  the 
originator  of  the  plan.  After  the  most  thorough  discussions 
between  himself  and  some  of  his  officers,  in  whom  he  had 
absolute  confidence,  it  was  agreed  to  prepare  a  petition 
which,  after  being  signed  by  all  the  captains  and  soldiers, 
would  be  presented  to  Coronado,  who  was  to  feign  surprise 
and  displeasure  on  receiving  it.  So  it  was  done.  As  soon  as  the 
petition  was  signed,  it  wa?  presented  to  him  and  he  played  his 
part  so  well  that  the  unwary,  who  had  fallen  in  the  trap  laid  for 
them,  were  the  most  emphatic  in  urging  on  him  the  good 
basis  on  which  rested  the  reasons  laid  before  him  for  their 
return  to  Mexico,  and  how  he  would  be  exonerated  from  all 
blame,  when  it  would  be  shown  that  the  army  had  demanded 
the  course  taken.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the 
truth  came  to  light.  When  those  who  signed  blindly  real- 
ized what  had  occurred  they  protested  declaring  that  they 
desired  to  remain  and  to  continue  in  the  discovery  and  con- 
quest of  La  Quivira,  but  Coronado  unheeded  their  words.  It 
was  proposed  to  him  that  he  march  himself  with  the  army 
to  Mexico,  but  to  leave  60  soldiers  in  Tiguex  to  wait  for  the 
orders  of  the  King.  All  was  of  no  avail.  They  requested 
him  to  return  tlie  petition  to  them,  but  Coronado  refused  to 
accede.     Tired    ;it  so   much  waiting,  they  determined   upon 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  163 

stealing  the  petition  from  him;  they  took  his  trunk  out  of 
his  room,  but  could  not  find  the  paper  desired,  whence  they 
hit  upon  the  thought  that  Coronado  had  it  under  his  bed,  and 
as  they  could  not  steal  it  therefrom  for  fear  of  the  sentries 
stationed  there  by  Coronado  from  among  the  men  who  had 
made  the  plan  with  himself,  they  resigned  themselves  to  the 
will  of  Coronado.  Immediately  after,  and,  in  spite  of  being 
as  yet  very  sick,  Coronado  gave  the  order  for  making  the 
preparations  in  order  to  set  out  on  the  return  march  to 
Mexico. 

Fr.  Juan  Padilla,  Fr.  Juan  de  La  Cruz,  (Escalona),  and  Andres  del 
Campo  (Portuguese)  Remained  Among  the  Indians.  Coronado 
Returns  to  Mexico. 

It  was  the  month  of  April,  1542,  when  Coronado  gave  the 
order  for  the  preparations  to  commence.  Fathers  Juan  de 
Padilla  and  Fr.  Luis  de  Escalone  (called  also  Juan  de  la  Cruz) 
in  company  with  Andres  del  Campo,  hailing  from  Portugal, 
and  some  friendly  Indians  of  the  ones  who  had  come  from 
Mexico  with  Coronado,  made  up  their  minds  to  continue 
preaching  the  gospel,  among  the  Indians,  Fr.  Luis  selecting 
the  province  of  Cicuye,  and  Fr.  Juan  de  Padilla  the  province 
of  Quivira.  Coronado  did  not  oppose,  but  rather  encouraged 
those  ministers  of  the  Lord  to  persevere  in  their  work,  send- 
ing an  escort  of  soldiers  to  accompany  them  to  Cicuy^,  the 
place  in  which  Fr.  Luis  remained,  Fr.  Juan  de  Padilla  con- 
tinuing in  his  march  to  la  Quivira,  accompanied  b}'  the  Por- 
tuguese and  some  of  the  friendly  Indians  who  served  them 
as  guides.  Both  priests,  Padilla  at  Quivira,  and  Fr.  Luis  at 
Cicuye,  were  martyred:  We  shall  recur  to  these  holy  mis- 
sionaries, who  were  the  real  heroes  of  the  expedition,  before 
closing  this  chapter. 

Coronado's  Return. 

All  things  being  now  in  readiness  for  the  return  voyage, 
Coronado  reviewed  the  army  rejoicing  at  the  success  with 
which  his  wishes  were  crowned,  and  at  having  written  to 
Emperor  Charles  V,  on  October  L'Oth,  1541,  the  narrative 
which  the  reader  has  already  read.  Towards  the  end  of  April, 
1542,  Coronado  left  Tiguex  toward  Mexico,  stopping  for  a  few 


164  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

days  at  Zuni  because  many  horses  were  dying  on  the  road, 
following  his  trip  without  experiencing  any  reverse,  to  Culia- 
cdn,  leaving  all  the  province  of  New  Mexico  pacified, and  also 
leaving  at  Zuni  some  of  the  Indians  who  had  come  with  him 
from  Mexico.  A  little  before  reaching  Chichilticalli,  Coro- 
nado  metCaptaiQ  Juan  Gallego,  who  was  now  returning  with 
more  soldiers  and  provisions.  Continuing  his  march  he 
ari'ived  at  Culiacan  at  the  beginning  of  June,  remaining  in 
that  city  until  the  24th  of  the  same  month,  when  he  left  again 
for  Mexico  to  give  Mendoza  an  account  of  his  fruitless  expe- 
dition. Mendoza  received  him  with  undisguised  indifference, 
but  did  not  censure  him,  contenting  himself  with  relieving 
him  from  the  post  of  governor  of  New  Galicia.  The  removal 
from  office,  the  loss  of  his  military  prestige,  the  remorse  of 
his  conscience,  which  doubtless  continually  gnawed  his 
heart  on  account  of  so  much  injustice  he  practiced  upon  the 
Indians  was  about  the  only  reward  Coronado  was  entitled  to. 
The  author  of  this  work  believes  that  he,  among  all  the  Span- 
ish explorers,  has  the  least  right  to  claim  honorable  mention 
in  the  annals  of  history,  excepting  for  his  famous  journey 
which  gave  as  a  result  the  discovery  of  the  Indian  provinces 
of  New  Mexico  and  of  the  plains  which  today  form  the  states 
of  Kansas  and  Oklahoma.  Thus  ended  the  romantic  voyage 
of  Coronado,  and  with  the  voyage  ended  also  in  a  tragical 
manner  the  life  of  Coronado.  Some  English  speaking  histo- 
rians, among  them  Bancroft,  affirm  that  JVIendoza  contented 
himself  with  showing  Coronado  his  displeasure  on  account  of 
the  bad  result  of  his  expedition;  but  thatafterwards  he  recon- 
ciled with  him,  allowing  him  to  retain  his  post  as  governor  of 
New  Galicia.  That  seems  to  be  an  error,  for  not  only  was 
Coronado  suspended  from  that  high  dignity,  but  was,  accord- 
ing to  other  old  historians,  completely  ignored  by  the  viceroy, 
the  contempt  with  which  he  was  received  being  the  cause  of 
his  death. 

We  shall  now  close  this  chapter  with  a  few  words  of  admi- 
ration and  respect  for  the  memory  of  those  venerable  Fran- 
ciscans Juan  de  Padilla  and  Fr.  Luis  de  Escalona,  the  only 
ones  in  all  the  expedition  who  deserve  honorable  mention  for 
they  were,  indeed,  real  conquerors, having  conquered  with  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  10') 

sacrifice  of  their  own  lives  the  only  true  empire,  the  Empire 
of  Eternal  Glory. 

Pr.  Juan  Padilla  was  by  birth  an  Andalusian.  He  came 
to  Mexico  as  a  Franciscan  monk  between  the  years  1525  and 
1535.  Pr.  Luis  (Juan  de  la  Cruz  de  Escalona)  was  born  in 
Prance,  but  of  Spanish  parentage.  Many  historians  do  not 
believe  that  he  was  a  priest,  but  simply  a  lay  brother;  this 
author  believes  he  was  a  priest.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the 
certainty  about  them  is  that  both  were  the  first  martyrs 
who  with  their  blood  baptized  these  lands  without  any  other 
hope  but  that  of  converting  the  Indians  and  of  sacrificing 
their  lives  to  give  in  that  manner  testimony  of  the  holy  truths 
of  Christianity.  Pr.  Juan  de  Padilla  was  assassinated  by 
the  Indians  of  la  Quivira  while  he  was  preaching  to  them 
the  Christian  doctrine.  Concerning  this  there  is  no  doubt, 
even  if  some  historians  doubt  that  he  ever  arrived  at  la 
Quivira,  Prince,  for  example,  affirms  "that  he  was  martyred 
before  he  had  entered  the  town."'  (See  Prince's  Hist,  of  New 
Mex.,  p.  145).  Bancroft  says  that  Pr.  Padilla  suffered  mar- 
tyrdom at  the  hands  of  the  Quivira  Indians  because  he 
insisted  on  going  to  preach  the  gospel  to  a  tribe  that  was 
at  war  with  the  Quiviras  (see  Bancroft's  Hist,  of  Arizona  and 
New  Mexico,  p.  67).  On  that  point  Bancroft  agrees  with 
Castaneda.  The  same  opinion  is  held  by  Archbishop  Sal- 
pointe  ("Soldiers  of  the  Cross"  q.  v  )  and  Rev.  Pr.  James  H. 
Defouri.  ("Sketch  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  New  Mexico" 
q.  v.)  Concerning  the  death  of  Pr.  Padilla  there  was  proof, 
for  the  Portuguese  who  accompanied  him  to  la  Quivira 
escaped  from  the  hands  of  the  Indians  at  Pather  Padilla's 
instance,  and  was  able  to  see  from  a  hiding  place,  as  it  will 
be  seen  afterwards,  how  the  Indians  killed  Pr.  Padilla  with 
stones.  Concerning  Pr.  Luis  not  a  word  was  ever  heard 
again  after  the  soldiers  separated  from  him,  who  carried 
sheep  for  him  to  Cicuy6,  from  which  fact  it  is  inferred  that 
he  had  a  similar  fate  as  Pr.  Padilla. 

This  chapter  ends  here.  In  the  next  we  shall  treat  of  the 
so-called  foundation  of  Santa  Pe  and  of  the  voyages  of  Pathers 
Agustin  Rodriguez  (Ruiz),  Prancisco  Lopez  y  Juan  de  Santa 
Maria,  Espejo,  etc.,  etc. 


166  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Before  commencing  the  next  chapter  the  Author  desires  to 
remark  that  in  the  appendix  of  this  work  he  will  give  the 
sketched  list  of  the  20  Franciscan  martyrs  who  sprinkled 
with  their  blood  for  the  love  of  God  and  the  conversion  of  the 
gentiles  the  virgin  soil  of  this  portion  of  the  new  world, 
commencing  with  Fathers  Juan  de  Padilla  and  Escalona  and 
ending  with  those  who  perished  in  the  uprising  of  the  year 
1680. 


um  mm 


mm  B^ 


mi 


u  .-  ^^m  V 


^mm.  i 


j^r-^.-mi 


riie  alwve  is  the  picture  of  the  royal  tombs  in  the  Cathedral  of  Granada,  Spain.  On  the  left  side  is  the 
bof  King  Ferdinand  and  Queen  Isabella,  under  whose  protection  Columbus  discovered  Amerlca.October 
49-2.  The  tomb  on  the  right  side  contains  the  remains  of  King  Philip,  the  Handsome,  and  his  wife.  Queen 
e,  known  in  history  as  the  "Crazy  Queen."  This  photograph  was  secured  lately  for  me  in  Granada,  .Spain, 
r>on  Pablo  M.  Herndndez  Lopez,  son  of  my  distinguished  friend,  Dv  Luis  Heriuindez,  of  Spain.— Thk 
riiOR. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


The  Foundation  of  Santa  Fe  Discussed — Voyage  of  Francisco  de 
Ibarra — Fr.  Agustin  Rodriguez,  (Ruiz),  Fr.  Francisco  Lopez  y  Fr. 
de  Santa  Maria — Ghamuscado  Guts  a  Figure — Discussion  of  the 
Origin  of  the  Name  "New  Mexico" — Gastano  de  Sosa,  Bonilla 
and  Juan  Humana — End  of  the  First  Book. 

There  are  some  writers  who  affirm  that  the  City  of  Santa 
Fe  was  founded  in  the  year  15^3  by  Fr.  Juan  de  Padilla  and 
his  companions.  Among  them  we  have  the  Reverend  James 
H.  Defouri,  of  grateful  memory,  whom  this  author  had  the 
honor  of  counting  among  his  particular  friends.  Father 
Defouri  is  the  only  one  of  those  writers  who  bases  his  asser- 
tion on  what,  apparently,  has  any  show  of  authority,  and 
for  that  reason  the  author  of  this  work  will  consider  his 
work  alone  in  the  present  discussion.  Speaking  of  Coro- 
nado's  return  to  Mexico  (to  which  we  referred  in  the  last 
chapter),  Rev.  Father  Defouri  says: 

"Many  of  the  soldiers,  and  even  some  officers,  who  did 
not  want  to  return  to  Mexico,  deserted  the  army  and 
remained  at  Tiguex,  founding  there  the  first  colony  of  white 
men.  That  happened  in  April,  1543, — a  date,  we  can  believe 
and  affirm,  Santa  Fe  was  founded,  a  mission  being  estab- 
lished there,  although  that  name  (Santa  Fe)  was  not  given  it 
then,  but  in  the  year  1598,  in  which  Juan  de  Onate  in  his 
Discourse  of  the  Journeys  which  the  captain  of  his  majesty 
made  from  New  Spain,  to  the  Province  of  New  Mexico,  Sep- 
tember 9,  1598,  to  the  City  of  San  Francisco  of  the  Span- 
iards, which  at  present  they  are  building  for  themselves.'"* 

The  very  authority  quoted  by  Father  Defouri,  "Dis- 
courses, etc.,"'  says  that  it  was  when  Onate  visited  the  place 
that  the  foundation  of  the  city  commenced,  that  is,  after  the 
year  1598.  It  could  not  have  been  otherwise,  for  from  what 
we  read  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  we  know  that  Coronado 
carried  with  himself  all  the  soldiers  and  officers  of  the  army 

*Rev.  J.  H.  Defouri 's  "Hist.  Sk.  of  the  Catholic  Ciiurch  in  N.  M."' 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOUY    OF    NEW    MEXICO,  169 

without  leaving  in  New  Mexico  any  other  Europeans  than 
Fr.  Juan  de  Padilla,  Fr.  Luis  de  Escaiona,  and  the  Portu- 
guese, Andres  del  Campo;  that  Juan  de  Padilla  started  at 
once  for  Quivira,  the  other  friar  remaining  at  Cicuy6  (Pecos). 
The  author  of  this  work,  after  an  examination  and  compar- 
ison of  the  writings  of  all  the  writers  which  he  has  been 
able  to  consult,  excepting  Prince,  who  does  not  say  a  word 
about  the  foundation  of  Santa  Fe,  is  of  opinion  that  the  villa 
of  Santa  Fe  was  not  founded  before  the  year  1605,  the  date 
in  which  Oilate,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  chapter  (post)  which 
treats  of  Onate,  founded  it.  On  that  matter  Archbishop 
Salpointe,*  Bancroft!  and  the  majority  of  authors,  who  have 
written  on  that  point,  are  all  agreed. 

Here  we  shall  leave  what  pertains  to  the  foundation  of  the 
city  of  Santa  Fe,  in  order  to  treat  in  the  following  chapters 
of  the  voyages  of  Ibarra,  Fr,  Agustin  Rodriguez  (Ruiz)  and 
Antonio  de  Espejo  and  those  who  followed  him. 

The  Entry  of  Ibarra. 

About  the  years,  l.'63-65,  Don  Francisco  Ibarra  was  gover- 
nor of  the  provinces  comprised  today  in  New  Vizcay,  (today 
the  State  of  Durango).     Ibarra  enjoyed  the  good  friendship 

*Salpointe:     "Soldiers  of  the  Cross."  51. 

fBancroft:    Hist,  of  N.  Mex.  and  Ariz.,  133. 

Note— For  further  confirmation  of  our  contention  that  Ti^uex 
was  on  the  Rio  Grande,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  unusually 
important  and  hig-hly  interesting-  description  of  Tiguex  (Tihues  as 
Benavidez  calls  it)  given  by  Father  Benavidez  to  the  king,  which  is 
made  part  of  this  history  as  a]>pendix  No.  1.  The  description  so  given 
by  Father  Benavidez  is  so  accurate  and  it  agrees  so  clearly,  and  so 
perfectly,  witli  what  we  have  said  on  that  subject,  that  it  leaves  no 
room  for  doubt.  Father  Benavidez  closing  his  description  thus: 
"The  river  is  called  the  Rio  Bravo  and  must  have  in  width  the  dis- 
tance covered  by  the  shot  of  an  arquebus."'  (  See  appendix  1,  under 
head  "Tihues"  )  Castafieda,  Coronado's  co-explorer  and  historian  of 
the  expedition.  (  ante),  says  on  the  point  which  seems  to  have  led  some 
writers  to  believe  that  a  certain  number  of  Spaniards  remained  in 
New  Mexico  besides  the  two  friars  and  the  Portuguese,  that  some  of 
the  gentlemen  wanted  to  remain  in  order  to  be  in  possession  of  the 
country  until  the  viceroy  could  send  reinforcements,  and  asked  for  (50 
soldiers,  but  that  the  soldiers  declined  to  remain  and  so  all  went 
back  with  Coronado,— The  Author. 


170  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  Luis  de  Velasco,  because  a  daughter 
of  Velasco  was  married  to  Diego  de  Ibarra,  an  uncle  of  Fran- 
cisco de  Ibarra.  The  uncle  of  Don  Francisco  being  thus 
related,  it  was  not  a  matter  of  any  difficulty  to  Don  Francisco 
to  obtain  the  appointment  of  captain  general  of  the  expedition 
which  Velasco  in  obedience  to  the  command  of  the  king  of 
Spain, Charles  I. ,  was  organizing  in  order  to  explore  the  lands 
discovered  by  Coronado  21  years  before.  At  the  end  of  the 
year  1564,  then,  Ibarra  set  out  at  the  head  of  the  expedition. 
It  has  never  been  possible  to  know  anything  positive  about 
the  lands  that  Ibarra  visited;  there  is  not  a  single  historian 
who  has  been  able  to  investigate  with  precision  the  places 
visited  by  Ibarra.  By  following  his  tracks,  it  is  no  easier  for 
the  reader  to  discourse  about  the  directions  traveled  by 
Ibarra's  expedition  than  it  is  for  the  historian.  In  other 
words,  the  conclusion,  after  reading  Ibarra's  narration,  may 
be  made  agreeable  to  the  theory  that  he  did  visit  New  Mexico^ 
but  not  following  the  same  route  followed  by  Coronado  from 
the  fact  of  mentioning  the  Rio  de  las  Vacas  (Pecos)  at  the  edge 
of  "very  extensive  plains."'  With  the  same  facility  the  contrary 
can  be  affirmed  in  regard  to  what  he  tells  us  respecting  the 
Indian  towns  he  discovered,  on  account  of  those  towns  having 
names  totally  different  from  those  of  the  pueblos  and  places 
visited  by  Coronado.  According  to  Bancroft  (citing  Ibarra's 
narration)  Ibarra  was  accompanied  by  50  soldiers,  among 
them  came  Pedro  de  Tobar  (a  captain  of  Coronado),  several 
friars  with  Father  Acebedo  as  superior.  The  course  of  his 
expedition  was  northward,  but  to  the  right  of  Coronado's 
route.  According  to  Vargas,*  Ibarra  revolved  around  the 
northern  part  until  he  struck  the  "Valleys  of  the  Cows.'" 
Beaumont  also  quoted  by  Bancroft,  says  that  in  the  place 
when  Ibarra  had  arrived  at  the  plains  of  Las  Vacas  he  found 
a  large  city  abandoned  by  its  inhabitants,  called  "Pagme," 
that  its  buildings  were  built  of  limestone,  that  it  had  tine 
houses  and  covered  more  than  three  leagues.  That,  if,  indeed, 
it  is  not  an  invention  of  Beaumont,  as  he  does  not  give  us  the 
source  of  his  observation,  is  the  only  incident  worthy  of  men- 


*  Vargas:  N.  Mex.  Testimonio  12!)— Cited    also  by  Bancroft's    N. 
Mex.  and  Ariz.  72. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  171 

tion,  and,  at  that,  only  because  of  the  mention  made  of  "the 
plains  and  River  of  Las  Vacas;"  but  not  even,  on  that  account, 
does  the  expedition  of  Ibarra  deserve  to  be  considered  of 
importance  in  history.  Let  us  now  pass  over  to  the  consider- 
ation of  the  voyage  of  the  Rev.  Fr.  Augustin  Rodriguez  {called 
by  Espejo  and  other  historians,  Fr.  Agustin  Ruiz)  and  his 
companions,  and  of  those  who  followed  after  them. 

Voyages  of  Fr.  Augustin  Rodriguez  (Ruiz)  and  Expedition  of  Espejo. 

All  English  speaking  historians  who  have  written  on  the 
history  of  New  Mexico,  have  apparently  fallen  into  the  error 
of  considering  Fr.  Augustin  Rodriguez  (Ruiz)  as  a  priest.  In 
spite,  however,  of  the  fact  that  in  our  times  the  error  of  call- 
ing the  priests  "frailes"  has  become  very  common,  "fraile," 
friar,  and  "sacerdote,"  priest,  are  not  analogous  terms» 
either  term  having  a  distinct  meaning.  Anglo  American 
writers  fall  more  generally  into  this  error.  Fr.  Augustin 
Rodriguez  was  not  a  priest;  he  was  simply  a  friar,  layman, 
which  signifies  a  brother  who  enters  a  religious  order,  accord- 
ing to  Escriche,  one  who  takes  the  "habit"  in  any  of  the 
regular  orders  and  has  made  "the  three  vows  of  obedience^ 
poverty  and  chastity;"'  if  the  friar  performs  the  services  cor- 
responding to  the  altar  and  choir  of  his  order,  he  is  known  and 
designated  by  the  name  of  "friar  of  mass  and  the  kettle,'' 
(fraile  de  misa  y  olla).  The  priests  who  accompanied  Fr. 
Rodriguez  were  Fathers  Juan  de  Santa  Maria  and  Francisco 
Lopez.  Fr.  Rodriguez  was  the  initiator  of  the  voyage  we  are 
now  considering  in  this  chapter,  and  his  success  in  moving 
the  heart  of  the  viceroy  and  his  superiors  was  secured  by  the 
Christian  charity  which  so  distinguished  him  among  his^ 
brethren,  according  to  Torquemada.* 

In  the  year  1581,  when  the  Count  of  Corufia,  Don  Lorenzo 
Suarez  de  Mendoza.was  Viceroy  of  New  Spain,  Fr.  Rodriguez 
was  residing  at  the  convent  in  Zacatecas,  to  which  convent 
the  pueblo  known  by  the  name  of  SanBartolome  belonged,  A 
few  days  after  his  arrival  at  Zacatecas  he  commenced  his 
evangelical  pilgrimages  among  the  Indians  that  belonged  ta 
the  convent,  or  mission,  of  Zacatecas.     In  one  of  those  piU 

*— Torquemada:  Mont.  Indiananem,  vol.  3,  (i2(). 


172  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

grimages  (missions)  he  visited  the  pueblo  of  San  Bartolom^ 
in  the  extreme  south  of  what  is  today  the  State  of  Chihuahua, 
and  it  was  then  that  he  heard  from  the  Indians  of  said  pueblo, 
about  other  lands  peopled  by  Indians  who  lived  in  terrace 
houses,  dressed  in  cotton  and  had  much  corn.  Fr.  Rodri- 
guez, noticing  the  good  disposition  of  those  Indians,  and  their 
willingness  to  be  converted,  made  several  trips  to  the  mother- 
convent  to  obtain  preachers.  But  as  in  these  places  the  friars 
were  none  too  many,  there  being  a  great  deal  to  do  and  to 
provide  for,  the  good  Fr.  Augustin  returned  alone,  until 
lastly  having  his  seat  and  dwelling  place  in  the  valley  called 
San  Bartolom^,  some  Indians,  seeing  the  great  desire  he 
showed  of  finding  new  peoples  to  convert  them  to  God,  gave 
him  information  of  certain  large  towns  that  existed  far  from 
there,  which,  because  they  had  so  many  people,  they  called 
them  "New  Mexico."  (The  author  takes  notice  of  this  passage 
because  Espejo  does  not  claim  to  have  given  that  name  to  the 
province.)  And  in  order  to  satisfy  himself  of  the  truth  he 
advanced  inland  by  the  way  they  pointed  out  to  him  towards 
the  north  and  found  good  towns. 

That  information  was  sufficient  for  Fr.  Rodriguez  to  make 
up  his  mind  to  penetrate  into  those  regions  and  effect  their 
<!onversion,  or,  at  least,  receive  the  martyrdom  which  he  so 
fondly  longed  for.  He  at  once  undertook  a  trip  to  the  mother 
convent  to  inform  his  superiors  of  the  news  he  had  received, 
and  to  ask  missionaries  in  order  to  go  and  christianize  the 
Indians  of  those  lands.  On  this  occasion  God  vouchsafed  to 
crown  his  efforts  with  marked  success,  for  the  prelate  gave 
him  two  priests  for  the  time  being,  who  offered  themselves 
for  that  journey  until  they  received  advices  of  what  might 
be  more  convenient.  One  of  them,  who  went  as  the  superior 
of  his  companions,  was  called  Fr.  Francisco  Lopez,  and  had 
come  from  the  province  of  Andalusia,  and  the  other,  Juan  de 
Santa  Maria.  As  he  was  assured  by  the  father  superior, 
that  notwithstanding  the  king's  prohibition  issued  long  be- 
fore, to  the  effect,  that  no  expeditions  should  be  made  into 
the  lands  discovered  by  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Niza,  and  Coronado, 
there  wrould  be  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  due  permission  from 
Viceroy  Coruila,  Fr.  Rodriguez  (Ruiz)  undertook  a  trip  to  the 
■City  of   Mexico  carrying  a  letter  from  his  superior  to  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  175 

viceroy.  The  viceroy  authorized  the  entry  as  solicited  by 
Fray  Rodriguez,  giving  him  aut^hority  to  organize  an  escort 
of  not  more  than  twenty  soldiers;  but  Pray  Rodriguez  was 
unable  to  gather  more  than  nine  soldiers  who  enlisted  for 
the  voyage,  more  eager  to  find  gold  than  to  protect  the 
priests.  These  were  Pedro  liustamante,  Hernan  Gallegos, 
Felipe  Escalante,  Hernando  Fiarrado,  Jos5  Sanchez,  Pedro 
Sanchez  de  Chavez,  Herrera,  Fuensalida  and  Francisco  San- 
chez Chamuscado,  who  was  chosen  captain  of  the  soldiers, 
In  addition  to  the  soldiers,  eight  Indians  went  with  them,  as 
servants,  and  a  mestizo  (half  breed)  called  Juan  Bautista. 
making  all  together  a  party  of  twenty-one  men. 

First  Mission  in  New  Mexico — Discovery  of  First  Mines  1581. 

On  the  6th  of  June  1581,  Fray  Rodriguez,  accompanied  by 
the  other  priests  and  the  rest  of  the  men  set  out  from  San 
Bartolome  towards  the  river  deConchos  near  San  Bartoiome. 
When  they  had  reached  that  river,  as  far  as  its  junction  with 
the  river  of  the  North,  they  gave  it  the  name  of  "Guadal- 
quivir," crossing  it  at  the  same  point  where  Cabeza  de  Vaca 
had  crossed  it  45  years  before.  Thence  they  travelled  20 
days  northward  meeting  with  a  large  number  of  Indian 
Pueblos,  which  according  to  the  direction  they  were  travel- 
ling, were  of  the  province  of  the  pueblos  visited  by  one  of  the 
captains  of  Coronado  near  the  place  where  stands  today  the 
town  of  Socorro  in  New  Mexico  To  these  pueblos,  Fr.  Rodri- 
guez gave  the  name  of  "San  Felipe."'  From  thence  they 
followed  up  their  journey  till  they  reached  the  province  of 
Tiguex  settling  at  the  pueblo  of  Puaray  in  which  they  estab. 
lished  their  settlement  thus  founding  the  first  mission  in 
New  Mexico.  Thence  Chamuscado  with  the  other  soldiers 
made  several  trips  into  the  interior  of  the  other  provinces  in 
search  of  gold,  for  that  was  the  only  object  that  induced 
Chamuscado  and  the  other  soldiers  to  accompany  the  priests. 
As  they  did  not  find  the  gold  they  were  after,  although  they 
did  discover  some  mines,  they  determined  to  return  to  New 
Spain,  and  report  leaving  the  priests  and  Fray  Rodriguez 
with  the  friendly  Indians  and  the  mestizo,  at  Puaray.  They 
started  on  their  return  trip  towards  the  end  of  December 
1581  or  the  beginning  of  January  1582, 


174  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

A  few  days  after  they  had  arrived  at  San  Bartolome,  Cha- 
muscado  and  two  of  his  soldiers,  Bustamante  and  Gallegos, 
of  the  soldiers  who  had  accompanied  him  set  out  for  the  city 
of  Mexico  to  give  testimony  of  what  they  had  seen  and 
discovered.  Chamuscado  did  not  reach  Mexico,  having  died 
on  the  way.  Pedro  de  Bustamante  and  his  companion, 
Hernan  Gallegos,  after  burying  Chamuscado,  continued  their 
journey,  reached  Mexico  City  safely  and  on  the  16th  day  of 
May,  1582,  appeared  before  Viceroy  Mendoza,  and  made  a 
report  of  the  journey  in  the  form  of  a  deposition,  under  oath, 
reporting  the  whole  journey,  the  finding  of  mines;  how  they 
had  left  Fr.  Rodriguez  and  Fathers  Lopez  and  Father  Juan 
de  Santa  Maria  in  the  pueblo  of  Puaray,  and  how  their  captain 
■Chamuscado  had  died  30  leagues  from  Santa  Barbara, 

Barrado  Appears  and  Reports  Death  of  the  Friars. 

It  was  October  the  20th,  1582,  when  Viceroy  Mendoza 
hearing  that  another  of  Chamuscado's  soldiers  was  in  the  city, 
and  was  circulating  the  report  that  Fr.  Rodriguez  and 
Fathers  Lopez  and  Juan  de  Santa  Maria  had  been  killed  by 
the  Indians  in  the  Tiguex  province,  caused  said  Barrado  to 
appear  and  give  his  testimony  under  oath,  which  order 
Barrado  complied  with  immediately. 

After  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  journey  made  by  him 
in  company  of  Chamuscado,  Fr.  Rodriguez  and  Fathers  Lopez 
and  Juan  de  Santa  Maria  and  the  other  soldiers,  etc.,  he  stated 
that  after  his  return  with  Chamuscado  and  the  other  soldiers 
to  Santa  Barbara,  and  staying  there  for  three  months,  more 
or  less,  one  of  the  Indians  who  had  remained  with  said  reli- 
gious in  Puaray  had  arrived  at  Santa  Barbara,  that  from  that 
Indian,  whose  name  was  Francisco,  he  learned  of  the  killing 
of  Fr.  Rodriguez  and  the  two  Fathers,  Lopez  and  Juan  de 
SantaMaria;  that  said  Indian  had  seen  the  Indians  of  Puaray 
kill  Fr.  Rodriguez  and  how  he  was  certain  the  other  two 
Fathers  had  been  killed.* 

*NOTE— The  foregoing-  report  of  the  killing  of  Fr.  Rodriguez  and 
Fathers  Lopez  and  Juan  de  Santa  Maria  is  taken  from  vol.  15,  p.  p.  81 
et  seq.  of  the  "Coleccion  de  DocumeiUos  Inedictos  lielativos  al  Descubri- 
mientos,  Comiuista  y  Organizacion  de  las  Antiyuas  Posesiones  Espafiolas  de 
A iik' rica  1/ Oceania,"  which  together  with   other    important    volumes  of 


ILLUSTRATKD   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  175 

Bustamanle's  Report  About  the   Mines. 

"In  like  manner,  we  discovered  in  said  land  eleven  silver 
mines  with  very  rich  veins  and  the  ore  of  three  of  them  was 
brought  to  this  city,  and  g'wen  to  his  excellency;  he  sent  it 
to  be  assayed  by  the  assayer  of  the  mint,  who  assayed  them, 
and  found  one  sample  to  contain  50  per  cent  of  silver;  the 
other  contained  twenty  marks  to  the  hundred  weight,  and  the 
other  live  marks."' 

The  report  of  Chamuscado's  soldiers  alarmed  the  inhabit- 
ants of  M(5xico  especially  the  Franciscans  at  Santa  Bilrbara, 
(San  Bartolome)  who,  encouraged  and  directed  by  Father 
Bernardino  Beltran,  commenced  to  discuss  ways  and  means 
to  go  in  search  of  their  companions,  inducing,  by  entreaties, 
Don  Antonio  de  Espejo,  a  man  of  great  wealth,  who  at  that 
time  was  sojourning  in  Santa  Bdrbara,  to  undertake  the 
voyage.  We  will  leave  Espejo  and  the  Franciscans  here  making 
preparations  for  the  expedition,  while  we  relate  what  hap- 
pened to  Fray  Rodriguez  and  his  companions. 

Tragical  End  of  Fr.  Rodriguez. — New  Mexico  is  the   Name   Given   to 
the  Province. 

After  the  departure  of  Chamuscado  and  his  'companions, 
Fr,  Rod  riguez  and  the  priests,  Fr.  Lopez  and  Fr.  Santa  Maria, 
thought  of  devising  the  proper  means  to  inform  their  supe- 
riors of  the  good  disposition  of  the  Indians  to  receive  the 
gospel  and  to  have  them  send  out  more  missionaries.  Father 
Santa  Maria  volunteered  to  undertake  alone  the  voyage,  but 
was  killed  by  the  Indians  shortly  after  starting.  Concerning 
that  occurrence,  Torquemada  says: 

"The  friars  kept  on  forward  in  their  voyage,  seeing  that 
the  natives  of  those  lands  received  them  kindly  all  along 
them,  and  they  went  further  in  for  a  distance  of  another  150 

the  same  "Coleccion,'"  reached  me  from  Spain  after  my  first  Spanish 
edition  of  this  history  had  gone  to  pi'ess.  Upon  comparison  of  what 
I  said  in  said  Spanisli  edition  on  this  journey  of  Fr.  Rodrig-uez,  etc. 
with  what  this  original  official  report  shows  I  found  that  the  authors 
I  relied  ujmn  in  my  said  former  edition  do  not  fully  agree  with  this 
original  official  report,  consequently,  the  reader  is  now  assured  that 
he  is  now  receiving  an  absolutely  authentic  account  of  that  memorable 
expedition,  as  is  the  case  with  their  accounts  given  here  as  correct  and 
accurate.— Thk  Author. 


176  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

leagues,  as  far  as  New  Mexico. /o>-  they  luere  the  ones  to  give- 
that  name  to  the  country.  Contemplating  the  bountiful  harvest 
the  Lord  was  placing  before  them  and  that  the  infidel  Indians 
encountered  no  difficulty  in  receiving  the  gospel,  as  they  were 
alone,  they  sought  the  means  to  notify  their  superiors  of  the 
great  need  there  was  of  their  sending  out  more  husbandmen. 
For  this  purpose,  Pray  Juan  de  Santa  Maria  offered  himself, 
a  young  man  suited  for  any  work,  and  with  a  willingness  to 
suffer  anything  for  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ.  Fr.  Juan  was 
by  nature  inclined  and  devoted  to  the  knowledge  of  astrolo- 
gical phenomena,  for  which  reason  he  was  commonly  called 
by  all  the 'astrologer  '  Relying  on  the  knowledge  he  pos- 
sessed of  the  stars,  he  took  another  route  in  order  to  return 
(different  from  the  one  they  had  traveled)  and  in  order  also  to 
see  what  new  things  he  might  thereby  find.  He  had  scarcely 
traveled  three  days,  when  the  infidel  Indians  killed  him  by  a 
cruel  kind  of  death;  for,  having  laid  down  to  sleep,  resting  by 
the  roadside,  they  cast  a  very  large  stone  over  his  head, 
which  took  his  life  away  without  his  being  able  to  breathe." 
Father  Francisco  Lopez  and  Fr.  Rodriguez  (Ruiz)  accom- 
panied by  the  mestizo  and  the  friendly  Indians  that  had 
remained,  settled  permanently  at  Puaray,  making  that  point 
the  center  of  their  operations;  but  they  did  not  last  long  in 
the  exercise  of  their  sacred  ministry,  for  they  were  after- 
wards, all  of  them,  martyred  by  the  Indians.  Father  Lopez, 
first,  and  then  Fr.  Rodriguez,  the  friendly  Indians  and  the 
mestizo.  Let  us  hear  Torquemada  describe  the  martyrdom 
of  these  holy  men  and  of  the  faithful  servants  that  accom- 
panied them: 

Death  of  Father  Lopez  and  Fr.  Rodriguez. 

"Fr.  Francisco  Lopez  andFr.  Agustin  Rodriguez  remained 
in  the  employ  of  this  administration  in  the  pueblo,  where  they 
took  up  their  dwelling,  trying  to  learn  the  language  of  the 
Indians  in  order  to  preach  to  them  with  more  clearness  the 
law  of  God,  which  they  taught  them  by  means  of  signs.  En- 
gaged as  they  were  in  this  good  work,  it  happened  that  one 
day  there  came  to  the  pueblo  where  they  were  staying,  some 
Indians  that  were  hostile  to  the  ones  where  they  were  quar- 
tered, with  weapons  in  their  hands  possibly  to  kill  them, 
because  they  had  received  the  religious  men  in  their  company 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  177 

and  were  feeding  them.  Father  Francisco  stepped  out  to 
reprimand  them  for  the  evil  they  were  doing,  and  to  persuade 
them  to  desist  from  their  discord  and  hatred,  and  to  hve  in 
peace  with  their  neighbors  as  they  were  all  one  people.  The 
barbarians,  who  did  not  know  God,  nor  respected  his  minis- 
ters, like  another  Pharaoh,  who,  being  told  by  Moses  what 
God  commanded,  said:  'Who  is  the  Lord  that  I  may  hear  his 
voice  and  do  what  you  sayV"  Looked  at  one  another  and 
said  among  themselves:  'Who  is  this  crier  that  thus  comes 
out  to  preach  to  us  what  we  do  not  wish  to  hear?'  And  turn- 
ing their  wrath  against  him  they  did  not  wait  to  hear  any 
more  reasons,  but  all,  at  the  same  time,  shot  their  arrows  at 
him  and  struck  him  down  dead  to  the  earth." 

With  the  death  of  Father  Lopez,  Fr.  Rodriguez  (Ruiz),  the 
friendly  Indians  and  the  mestizo  were  left  alone  among  the 
hostile  Indians,  all  of  them  realizingthattheend  of  their  lives 
was  also  very  near,  for  the  pitiful,  tragical  close  of  the 
lives  of  their  companions  was  for  them  an  infallible  sign  of 
the  fate  that  awaited  them.  So  it  was,  and  the  disastrous 
voyage,  which  these  ministers  of  the  Lord  conceived,  closed 
with  their  death.  How  Fr.  Rodriguez  (Ruiz),  his  Indians  and 
the  mestizo  came  to  their  death,  Torquemada  also  tells  us  in 
these  words: 

"Not  wishing  to  endure  him,  (for  there  is  no  greater  rage^ 
nor  torment  for  the  wicked  than  to  be  reprimanded  by  the  up- 
right man)  they  killed  him  within  a  few  days,  and  afterwards 
did  the  same  with  the  Christian  Indians  who  were  with  him 
that  they  might  not  survive  to  testify  concerning  their  mis- 
deeds. Nevertheless,  they  did  not  go  without  their  punish- 
ment, for  Antonio  Espejo  went  shortly  after  in  search  of 
those  priests  and  in  demand  of  those  lands,  and  gave  them  a 
good  chastisement."' 

Let  us  now  return  to  New  Spain  to  consider  the  steps 
taken  by  the  Franciscans  and  Espejo  in  order  to  undertake 
the  journey  of  deliverance  to  which  we  have  alluded  in  the 
foregoing  paragraphs.  We  left  Father  Beltran  making  pre- 
parations for  said  voyage  and  we  are  now  going  to  speak 
about  it.  Before  going  into  the  subject,  however  the  author 
calls  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  following  remark,  viz: 
that  all  he  is  going  to  say  concerning  Espejo's  voyage,   save 


178  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  author's  comments,  is  reproduced  from  the  reports  of  Es- 
pejo  himself,  as  they  were  written  by  the  historian  of  his  expe- 
dition, which  reports  are  now  in  the  possession  of  the  author  of 
this  work,  said  author  having  received  them  direct  from  Spain 
after  the  first  Spanish  edition  was  pubhshed.  With  this  ex- 
planation, the  frequent  quoting  from  those  reports  will  be 
avoided.     The  voyage  follows : 

Espejo's  Entry  into  New  Mexico — 1583. 

Some  difference  is  perceived  between  Espejo  and  Torque- 
mada  in  what  relates  to  the  death  of  Fr.  Juan  de  Santa 
Maria  and  his  companions,  Espejo  affirming  that  said  priests 
had  been  murdered  before  Chamuscado  and  the  other  sol- 
diers returned  to  San  Bartolome,  while  Torquemada  says 
that  the  soldiers,  when  they  returned  to  New  Spain,  had  left 
said  priests  alive  and  in  the  exercise  of  their  ministry.  One, 
however,  is  naturally  inclined  to  believe  that  Espejo  is  mis- 
taken, and  that  Torquemada  spoke  with  full  knowledge  of 
the  facts,  if  the  testimony  given  by  Chamuscado  and  his 
companions  is  taken  into  account.  Let  us  now  enter  upon 
the  consideration  of  Espejo's  voyage. 

Espejo's  Voyage. 

On  the  10th  day  of  November,  1582,  the  voyage  was  under- 
taken, Espejo  and  Father  Bernardino  Beltran  starting  from 
San  Bartolome  accompanied  by  fourteen  soldiers  whose 
names  were  the  following:  Juan  Lopez  de  Ibarra,  Diego 
P6rez  de  Lujan,  Gaspar  de  Lujan,  Cristobal  Sanchez,  Grego- 
rio  Hernandez,  Juan  Hernandez,  Miguel  Sanchez  Valenciano, 
with  his  wife  and  two  sons,  Ldzaro  Sanchez,  Miguel  Sanchez 
Nevado,  Pedro  Hernandez  de  Almansa,  Francisco  Barrato, 
Bernardo  de  Luna,  Juan  de  Frias  and  the  Fathers  Pedro  de 
Heredia  y  Juan  de  la  Cruz;  in  addition  to  these  soldiers  and 
priests,  Espejo  carried  with  him  some  Indian  servants  and 
friends.  They  all  went  well  supplied  with  arms,  food  pro- 
visions and  mules  and  horses,  Espejo  bearing  all  the  expense. 
The  route  taken  by  Espejo  was  the  same  that  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  Fr.  Agustin  Rodriguez  and  his  companions,  travel- 
ing along  the  Concho  River  to  its  confluence  with  the  Rio 
Grande  and    meeting,  after  two  days'    journey,    with  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  179 

tirstencainpment  of  the  Concho  Indians  who  received  him  with 
demonstrations  of  joy  and  gave  him  guides  to  lead  him  as  far 
as  the  nation  of  the  Pasaquatesj  distant  24  miles  from  that 
place.  The  Pasaquates  also  received  the  Spaniards  amid 
demonstrations  of  sincere  sympathy  giving  them  new  guides 
to  take  them  to  the  nation  of  the  Indians  called  Tobasos.  The 
Tobasos,  however,  on  receiving  advice  of  the  coming  of  the 
Spaniards,  and  as  some  years  before,  according  to  Espejo, 
some  Spaniards  who  passed  through  there  had  carried  away 
as  captives  some  of  the  Indians  of  that  nation,  were  afraid 
Espejo  should  do  the  same,  and,  on  that  account,  abandoned 
their  pueblo  though  they  returned  shortly  after  at  the 
instance  of  Espejo.     Concerning  that  incident  Espejo  says: 

"It  was  known  afterwards  that  some  years  before,  certain 
soldiers  had  come  through  there  in  search  of  mines,  and  had 
taken  as  captives  some  natives,  a  circumstance  which  made 
them  fearful  and  distrustful  of  the  rest.  The  captain  gave 
orders  as  to  how  they  should  be  called,  assuring  them  that 
no  harm  should  be  done  to  them;  and  did  it  so  skilfully  that 
he  made  many  of  them  come  whom  he  regaled  and  gave  gifts, 
treating  them  kindly,  and  declaring  to  them,  through  the 
interpreter,  that  they  were  not  going  to  do  anybody  harm 
whereby  they  again  were  quieted,  and  consented  to  receive 
crosses,  and  that  the  mysteries  contained  in  them  should  be 
explained  to  them,  showing  that  they  received  thereby  a 
great  deal  of  contentment,  after  which  demonstration  they 
(the  Tobasos)  went  accompanying  them  (the  Spaniards)  until 
they  led  them  into  a  peopled  land  of  another  and  different 
nation  which  was  about  12  leagues  distant  from  theirs;  they 
use  the  bow  and  the  arrow,  and  go  naked." 

That  nation  the  Spaniards  called  "Patarabuyes"  and  the 
Indians  called  it  "Jumanos."  Concerning  them,  Espejo  tells 
us  that  it  was  a  province  of  many  pueblos,  of  very  large 
population  and  many  very  large  rivers,  of  which  the  Rio 
Grande  was  the  largest.  These  Indians,  notwithstanding 
their  return  to  their  pueblo,  attacked  the  Spaniards  during 
the  night,  killing  several  horses  and  abandoned  their  pueblo. 
The  next  day  Espejo,  succeeded  in  pacifying  them  and  in 
having  them  return  to  their  pueblo.  This  first  encounter 
with  the  Indians  is  thus  described  to  us  by  Espejo: 


180  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Espejo's  First  Fight- 
"They  are  a  warlike  people  and  they  at  once  showed  it,  for 
the  first  night  our  men  made  camp,  they  struck  at  us  with 
arrows  and  killed  five  horses  and  badly  wounded  as  many 
and  would  have  left  none  alive  had  it  not  been  for  the  guards 
that  defended  them.  Having  done  this  damage  they  deserted 
the  place,  and  climbed  up  a  mountain  (sierra)  that  was  near 
by,  where  the  captain  went  next  morning  with  five  well  armed 
soldiers  and  an  interpreter  named  Pedro,  an  Indian  of  their 
own  nation,  and  with  good  expressions  he  quieted  them  and 
left  them  at  peace,  causing  them  to  come  down  to  their  pueblo 
and  houses  and  persuaded  them  to  inform  their  neighbors 
that  we  were  not  men  who  harmed  any  one;  neither  were  we 
going  to  take  away  from  them  their  possessions— a  thing  he 
succeeded  in  accomplishing  by  his  prudence,  and  by  giving 
the  caciques  some  strings  of  glass  beads,  hats  and  other 
trinkets  we  carrried  for  this  purpose.  With  this  and  with 
the  good  treatment  we  gave  them,  many  of  them  accompanied 
our  men  for  some  days,  travelling  always  along  the  bank  of 
the  said  Rio  Grande.'' 

Espejo  Hears  of  Gabeza  de  Vaca's  Journey. 
Thence  the  Spaniards  travelled  always  up  stream  between 
large  numbers  of  pueblos,  being  everywhere  received  in  a 
friendly  manner  by  the  Indians.  After  having  travelled  for 
twelve  days  more,  they  came  to  a  pueblo  where  the  Indians 
used  the  sign  of  the  cross  and  raised  their  eyes  to  heaven 
as  if  they  prayed,  whereupon  one  of  the  priests  asked  the 
Indians  where  and  how  they  had  learned  to  do  that,  to  which 
they  answered,  that  years  before,  three  Christians  and  a 
negro  had  passed  through  there.  These  were  no  others 
than  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Dorantes,  Maldonado  and  Estevanico. 
The  Spaniards  continued  their  journey,  always  northward 
along  the  river,  without  meeting  any  opposition  from  any  of 
the  many  pueblos  they  traversed,  but  rather  being  the 
objects  of  kind  receptions  till  they  came  to  a  pueblo  with 
houses  of  three  and  four  stories,  where  they  received  infor- 
mation that  f  u  rther  into  the  interior  there  were  many  nations 
of  Indians  dressed  in  clothes  made  of  wool  and  cotton,  like 
the  Spaniards.     Considering  the  route  Espejo  was  travelling 


ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  181 

and  the  many  journeys  they  had  made,  it  is  reasonable  to 
beheve  that  this  last  pueblo  was  near  the  Province  of 
Tiguex,  as  they  were  not  long  in  arriving  at  the  said 
Province  of  Tiguex,  where  they  positively  learned  that  Pr, 
Rodriguez  and  the  Fathers  Francisco  Lopez  and  Juan  de 
Santa  Maria  had  been  murdered.  Espejo  thus  relates  that 
event: 

"After  having  stayed  in  this  province  for  four  days,  and 
at  a  little  distance  therefrom,  they  came  to  another  province 
called  Tiguex,  which  was  composed  of  sixteen  pueblos;  in 
one  of  which,  called  Poala,  (Puaray)  they  were  informed 
that  the  Indians  had  killed  the  two  fathers.  Fray  Francisco 
Lopez,  Juan  de  Santa  Maria,  and  Fray  Agustin,  whom  they 
were  looking  for,  and  with  them  the  Indians  had  also  killed 
three  boys  and  a  mestizo.  When  the  Indians  of  this  pueblo 
and  their  neighbors  saw  our  men,  feeling  the  remorse  of 
their  own  conscience,  and  fearful  of  being  punished  for  the 
death  of  the  said  fathers,  they  did  not  remain,  but  leaving 
their  houses  they  climbed  up  the  near-by  mountains  whence 
they  could  not  be  made  to  descend,  although  we  tried  it  with 
all  sorts  of  caresses  and  contrivances.  They  found  in  the 
pueblos  and  houses  many  supplies  and  great  abundance  of 
turkeys  and  different  kinds  of  rich  metals.  It  could  not  be 
ascertained  precisely  how  many  were  the  people  of  this 
province  for  the  reason  (as  I  have  said)  of  their  having  gone 
to  the  sierra.'' 

The  Spaniards  encamped  there  for  several  days  because 
there  were  many  among  them  who  deemed  it  a  useless  task 
to  proceed  further  with  the  journey,  as  the  chief  object  of 
the  voyage,  the  deliverance  of  Fr.  Agustin  Rodriguez  and 
his  companions,  could  not  be  realized.  Espejo,  however,  was 
able  at  last  to  persuade  his  companions  and  the  religious  to 
follow  further  inland  in  order  to  verify  the  information  that 
the  Indians  were  giving  them  concerning  the  existence  of 
other  pueblos  which  the  Indians  declared  were  very  large 
in  population  and  rich  in  corn,  silver  and  gold.  Espejo  next 
determined  to  go  himself  with  only  two  of  his  companions  to 
explore  the  new  lands,  leaving  at  that  point  the  remainder 
of  the  expedition  with  the  intention  of  establishing  there  his 
rendezvous.     After  two   days'    travel    Espejo  arrived  at  a 


182  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

province  of  eleven  pueblos  and  of  considerable  population,  so 
large  that,  to  use  Espejo's  expression,  "they  numbered  over 
40,000  souls."  Espejo  continues  his  description  of  what  he 
saw  in  that  province  in  these  words:  "It  was  a  very  firm 
and  well  supplied  land  whose  boundaries  touch  the  lands  of 
Cibola,  where  there  are  many  cows  with  the  hides  of  which 
they  dress,  and  also  with  cotton  goods."  Espejo  also  found 
in  that  pueblo  indications  of  the  existence  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  rich  minerals — which  fact  prompted  him  to  return 
to  his  place  of  rendezvous  to  inform  his  companions  about 
the  discovery  of  what  he  thought  to  be  a  group  of  valuable 
mines.  Espejo  says:  "There  are  signs  of  many  and  very 
rich  mines,  as  we  found  metals  from  them  in  the  houses  of 
the  Indians,  who  have  and  adore  idols  made  of  these  metals." 

The  good  news  brought  by  Espejo  had  the  effect  of  chang- 
ing the  minds  of  those  who  wanted  to  return  to  New  Spain, 
for,  in  addition  to  what  Espejo  told  them  concerning  the  rich 
minerals,  they  had  already  received  advices  of  another  pro- 
vince further  north  which  had  been  also  very  much  exagger- 
ated inducing  them  all  to  go  to  that  province  (the  province 
of  the  Queres  with  which  the  reader  is  already  acquainted.) 
Espejo's  account  concerning  that  province,  says  literally: 

"Having  arrived  at  the  rendezvous  (as  said)  they  had 
advices  concerning  another  province  called  Los  Queres  which 
lay  on  the  Rio  del  Norte  six  leagues  distant,  and  as  they  set 
out  thitherward  and  arrived  to  within  a  league  of  it,  a  large 
number  of  Indians  came  out  to  receive  them  peacefully  and 
to  request  them  to  go  with  them  to  their  pueblos,  saying  that 
they  would  be  well  received  and  entertained.  They  saw  only 
five  pueblos  in  this  province  in  which  there  was  a  very  large 
number  of  people,  and  the  people  they  saw  were  over  fifteen 
thousand  souls,  who  adore  idols,  like  their  neighbors.  They 
found  in  one  of  these  pueblos  a  magpie  in  a  cage,  and  some 
paintings  such  as  those  that  are  brought  from  China  with 
the  sun,  the  moon,  and  many  stars  painted  on  them.  On 
reckoning  there  the  latitude  they  found  themselves  at  30^ 
degrees  north." 

Prom  that  province,  Espejo  changed  his  route  towards  the 
northeast,  visiting  the  province  of  Cia  (called  also  Cuvaines) 
which,  the  reader  will  remember,  is  composed  of  five  pueblos 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  183 

ofwhich  Cia  was  the  larj^estand  tlie  principal  one.  The  popu- 
lation which  Espejo  says  he  found  there  does  not  agree  with 
what  Castafleda  tells  us,  for,  according  to  Espejo,  the  inhabi- 
tants of  those  tive  pueblos  were  "over  twenty  thousandsouls.'* 
Those  Indians  seemed  to  Espejo  very  much  advanced  in  civi- 
lization, for  "they  judged  them  to  be  the  most  curious  people 
and  of  better  policies  than  any  they  had  so  far  seen,  and  of 
better  government  showing  rich  metals  and  the  mountains, 
from  which  they  mined  them  out."  Here  they  again  received 
news  of  another  province  which  lay  towards  the  Northwest 
and  to  which  they  determined  to  go.  That  province  was 
Jemez  (Espejo  called  it  Amejes).  There  also  the  Spaniards 
were  well  received,  but,  as  they  were  informed  of  another 
province  larger  which  was  towards  the  Southwest,  (Acoma) 
they  pursued  their  route  until  they  reached  it.  The  Acoma 
Indians  received  them  with  the  same  good  will  they  had 
received  Alvarado  forty  years  before.  Here  Espejo  gives  a 
description  of  the  rock  upon  which  the  pueblo  is  built.  As 
we  already  informed  the  reader  about  that,  we  will  omit  what 
Espejo  says  concerning  the  same,  contenting  ourselves  with 
the  statement  that  Espejo  was  treated  with  more  frankness 
than  was  Alvarado,  and  his  men;  for,  during  the  three  days 
that  Espejo  and  his  men  remained  in  that  place,  they  made 
him  presents  of  (blankets)  and  robes  well  worked,  and  lots 
of  provisions,  and  gave  them  also  "one  of  their  solemn 
dances  coming  out  dressed  in  gallant  garments  which  they 
enjoyed  exceedingly."' 

Espejo  Finds  Goronado's  Monuments. 
Thenceforth,  Espejo  continued  his  march  towards  the  West 
till  he  came  to  the  province  of  Cibola,  finding  at  Zufli  the 
crosses  Coronado  had  left  there,  and  three  of  the  Christian 
Indians  who  had  come  with  Coronado,  called,  Andres  de 
Cuyoacan,  Gaspar  de  Mejico,  and  Antonio  de  Guadalajara 
"who  had  almost  forgotten  their  own  language  and  under- 
stood well  that  of  the  natives  although  the  Spaniards  after 
a  few  trials  with  them,  understood  them  easily,"  (Espejo's 
words.)  These  Christian  Indians  informed  Espejo  of  another 
still  larger  province  which  was  at  seventy  days'  travel  from 
that  point,  having  many,  and  very  large  pueblos,  a  large  lake 
and  very  rich  (deposits)  of  gold.     Espejo  and   some  of  the 


184  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Spaniards  wished  to  go  and  visit  the  proviDce,  but,  as  Father 
Beltran  with  the  greater  part  of  the  Spaniards  opposed  it, 
Espejo  abandoned  the  hope  of  making  the  trip  to  said  province 
with  all  his  men;  whereupon  he  concluded  to  make  the  trip 
himself  with  such  of  the  men  as  were  willing  to  follow  him, 
which  he  did  undertaking  his  march  towards  those  lands 
with  some  of  his  companions  allowing  the  Father  and  those 
who  wanted  to  follow  him  to  return  to  New  Spain,  if  so  they 
desired.  After  having  travelled  twenty  eight  days  west- 
wards, they  arrived  at  one  province  which,  according  to 
Espejo,  had  over  "Fifty  thousand  souls."'  These  Indians 
threatened  the  Spaniards  with  death  if  they  insisted  on 
arriving  at  their  pueblos,  but  Espejo  was  able  to  pacify  them 
by  means  of  presents  he  made  them,  whereupon  they  per- 
mitted him  to  enter  accompanied  by  150  friendly  Indians 
and  the  Christian  Indians  that  had  come  with  the  Spaniards 
from  Cibola.  At  their  entry  into  the  pueblo  the  Spaniards 
were  received  amid  rejoicings  by  the  Indians  and  their 
caciques  "who  sprinkled  quite  a  quantity  of  corn  meal  over 
the  ground  through  which  their  horses  passed."'  The 
Indians  called  that  pueblo  "Laguato.'" 

Thence  the  caciques  sent  word  to  the  other  pueblos  to 
•come  and  see  the  Spaniards,  and  many  Indians  from  said 
pueblos  did  subsequently  come  loaded  with  presents  for  the 
Spaniards.  Great  efforts  were  made  by  the  caciques  of 
those  pueblos  to  get  the  Spaniards  to  go  with  them,  but,  Es- 
pejo, suspecting  some  treason,  excused  himself  from  visiting 
them,  stating  to  the  caciques  that  as  the  horses  were  "very 
fierce"  it  was  necessary  to  prevent  them  from  killing  In- 
dians by  constructing  for  the  horses  limestone  fences  (for- 
tress). The  Indians,  fearing  that  what  Espejo  said  might 
happen  to  them,  offered  to  construct  the  fences  themselves, 
as  Espejo  tells  us: 

"The  Indians  believed  it  so  well,  that  in  a  few  hours  they 
got  many  of  their  people  together  and  built  an  enclosure 
which  our  men  wanted,  with  incredible  promptness.  Be- 
sides this,  upon  the  captain  announcing  that  he  desired  to 
■leave,  they  brought  him  a  present  of  forty  thousand  cotton 
blankets,  striped  and  white,  and  a  large  quantity  of  hand- 
icerchiefs  with  embroideries,  and  many  other  things,  among 


ILLUSTRATED   IIISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  185 

them  rich  metals  wliich  seemed  to  have  much  silver.  They 
obtained  from  these  Indians  important  information  regard- 
ing the  great  lake  above  mentioned,  and  confirmed  what  the 
others  had  said  concerning  the  riches  and  abundance  of  gold.' 

Espejo  Finds  Rich  Mines — 1583. 

Espejo  seeing  the  good  result  of  his  stratagem,  sent  the 
baggage  to  Zuni  with  five  of  his  companions  and  the  friendly 
Indians,  and  he  continued  his  voyage  towards  said  mines 
with  only  four  of  his  men  and  the  guides  he  had  with  him, 
travelling  always  westward,  coming  to  the  mines  at  a  dis- 
tance of  forty-five  miles  from  that  place.  The  mines  proved 
to  be  so  rich  that  Espejo  himself  was  able  to  touch  ore  with 
his  own  hands.  Let  us  hear  him  describe  the  find.  "And 
he  drew  out  with  his  own  hands  very  rich  ores,  and  with 
much  silver,  and  the  mines,  which  had  very  broad  veins, 
were  on  a  mountain  which  was  easy  of  ascent,  there  being  an 
open  road  for  that  purpose."' 

At  the  spot  where  the  mines  lay  there  were  two  small 
rivers,  one  of  them  the  author  believes  to  have  been  the  Gila, 
basing  his  opinion  on  wiiat  the  Indians  said  to  Espejo,  viz: 
"And  they  told  him,  by  signs,  that  beyond  those  mountains 
there  was  a  river  which  was  more  than  eight  leagues  wide  and 
that  it  flowed  towards  the  Sea  of  the  North,  and  that  on  both 
banks  of  it  there  are  many  pueblos,  so  great,  that  in  compari- 
son with  them,  the  ones  in  which  they  actually  were  sojourn- 
ing,  were  only  wards."'  Espejo  did  not  doubt  the  narration 
of  the  Indians,  but  he  resolved  to  return  to  Zuni,  making  the 
journey  without  any  difficulty.  He  was  agreeably  surprised 
on  his  arrival  there  by  meeting  Fr.  Bernardino  Beltran  and 
the  soldiers  who  were  before  so  determined  upon  going  back 
to  New  Spain.  The  explanation  given  by  Father  Beltran 
for  his  not  having  gone  was  that,  as  the  Indians  appeared  so 
well  disposed  to  receive  Christian  instruction  and  be  baptized 
he  thought  it  part  of  his  duty  to  remain  in  the  exercise  of  his 
ministry. 

Espejo  Visits  the  Province  of  The  Queres  and  Other  Pueblos.-  Returns 
to  San  Bartolome  by  the  Rio  de  Pecos — 1583. — More  Mines  Found. 

As  Espejo  manifested  his  desire  of  continuing  the  discov- 
ery of  other  pueblos,  Father  Beltran  and  the  soldiers  who 


186  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

had  before  decided  to  return  to  San  Bartolome,  agreed  upon 
their  return  voyage,  joining  with  them  the  soldier  Gregorio 
Hernandez.  Thus,  at  Zuni,  the  expedition  divided,  Pr.  Bel- 
tran  and  the  soldiers  mentioned  going  to  San  Bartolom^,  and 
Espejo,  with  eight  soldiers,  taking  an  eastward  course  till 
they  struck  the  Rio  del  Norte,  and  kept  travelling  up  stream 
till  they  reached  the  provinces  of  the  Queres  and  the  Hubates. 
In  both  provinces,  Espejo  was  welcomed  by  the  Indians,  who 
overloaded  him  with  presents  and  rich  ores.  Espejo  asked 
them  where  had  they  obtained  those  ores,  and  the  Indians 
showed  him  the  mines,  which  were  near,  and  from  which 
Espejo  and  his  companions  drew  out  a  goodly  quantity  of 
silver.  Thence  they  continued  traveling  till  they  came  to  the 
province  of  los  Tannos  (which  must  have  been  the  province 
of  los  Tanos,  Galisteo,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter). 
In  that  province,  Espejo  did  not  receive  the  treatment  he  ex- 
pected, became  disgusted,  and  his  companions  being  so  few 
he  determined  to  return  to  San  Bartolom^. 

''As  they  were  so  few  (as  we  have  said)  they  determined  to 
go,  starting  for  the  Christian  land,  and  they  put  it  into  effect 
at  the  beginning  of  July  of  the  year  eighty-three,  guided  by 
an  Indian  who  went  with  them,  and  took  them  by  a  different 
road  from  the  one  they  had  travelled  on  their  coming,  down 
a  stream  which  they  called  "de  las  Vacas,""  because  there  was 
a  great  multitude  of  them  along  its  banks,  by  which  way  they 
travelled  120  leagues,  meeting  them  (the  Vacas)  continually. 
From  here  they  set  out  to  the  Rio  de  Los  Conchos.  by  which 
they  had  entered,  and  from  there  to  the  Valley  of  San  Barto- 
lom^,  whence  they  had  cc  me  to  begin  the  discovery;  and  when 
they  arrived  they  found  that  said  Fray  Bernardino  Beltrdn, 
and  his  companions,  had  arrived  safely  at  said  pueblo  many 
days  before,  and  that  from  thence  they  had  gone  to  the  Villa 
of  Guadiana.  (Espejo  carried  with  him  two  Indians  to  be 
educated).  At  this  town,  Captain  Antonio  de  Espejo  gave 
correct  information  of  everything  above  mentioned,  which  he 
immediately  forwarded  to  the  Count  of  Corona,  viceroy  of 
that  kingdom,  and  he  to  his  majesty,  and  to  the  lords  of  his 
royal  council  of  the  Indies  that  they  might  ordain  what  should 
be  their  pleasure." 

Such  was  the  result  of  the  celebrated  voyage  of  Espejo,  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  187 

most  beneficial  in  its  results  of  all  that  had  till  then  been 
made  to  these  lands  of  New  Mexico.  He  spent  twelve  months 
on  the  voyage,  penetrating  on  the  west  very  far  to  the  interior 
of  what  is  today  the  State  of  Arizona,  and  on  the  north  to  the 
province  of  Los  Tanos,  what  is  today  Galisteo,  in  the  County 
of  Santa  Fe.  He  had  no  mishap  or  evil  encounter  with  the 
Indians,  in  spite  of  what  Torquemada  affirms. (ante).  He 
discovered  rich  minerals,  while  Father  Beltran,  also,  did  on 
his  part  much  spiritual  good. 

Origin  of  Name  "New  Mexico."  —  Espejo  calls  it  "Nueva  Andalucia." 
Before  closing  his  narrative  of  Espejo's  voyage  the  Author 
of  this  work  deems  the  occasion  opportune  to  do  away  with 
another  historical  error  which  appears  in  a  great  number  of 
historical  works.  That  error  is  this:  Many  of  the  writers  on 
the  conquest  of  New  Mexico  affirm  that  it  was  Espejo  who 
gave  this  territory  the  name  of  "New  Mexico,"  This  is  an 
error,  as  we  shall  prove  it  by  the  very  words  of  Espejo  him- 
self. Among  the  rare  works  which  the  Autlior  of  this  work 
was  able  to  obtain  through  the  kindness  of  Don  Antonio  Ara- 
gon  Montejo,  of  Madrid,  Spain,  are  Volumes  III  and  XV,^ 
entitled,  "Documentos  In^ditos  Relativosal  Descubrimiento, 
Conquista  y  Organizaci6n  delas  Antiguas  Posesiones  Espaiio- 
las  de  America  y  Oceania"  (Inedited  Documents  Concerning 
the  Discovery,  Conquest  and  Organization  of  the  Old  Spanish 
Possessions  in  America  and  Oceanica,  to  which  we  have 
already  referred).  In  Volume  XV,  at  page  162,  of  said  work 
is  the  report  or  narrative  which  Espejo  sent  to  the  Count  of 
Corona,  viceroy  of  New  Spain  at  that  time,  which  report 
Espejo  sent  immediately  after  his  arrival  at  San  Bartolome. 
Espejo  begins  his  report  with  these  words: 

"It  is  about  twenty-one  days  that  I  arrived  at  these 
mines  of  Santa  Bdlbola  (San  Bartolome — the  Author),  of  this 
district,  very  tired  and  fatigued  of  having  traveled  for  more 
than  a  year  to  this  date,  more  than  eight  hundred  leagues, 
seeing  and  discovering  the  provinces  of  New  Mexico,  to  which 
I  gave  the  name  Nueva  Andalucia.^' 

The  fact,  therefore,  is  established  that  it  was  not  Espejo 
who  gave  this  country,  then  a  province  of  Spain,  the  name  of 
New  Mexico. 


188  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Espejo  Solicits  Authority  to  Colonize  New  Mexico — Gastano  de  Sosa, 
Bonilla  and  Lomas  y  Golmenares  — Urdinola — Juan  Humana — '■ 
Don  Cristobal  Martin. 

Before  Espejo's  return  to  New  Spain  several  Spaniards 
endeavored  to  obtain  leave  from  the  kingdom  in  order  to 
prosecute  the  discoveries  and  colonization  of  New  Mexico. 
Don  Cristobal  Martin  a  moneyed  man  residing  in  the  City  of 
Mexico  offered  to  spend  in  the  enterprise  of  the  discovery  as 
much  as  fifty  thousand  dollars  obliging  himself  to  secure 
three  hundred  colonists  and  to  defray  all  the  necessary 
expenses  out  of  his  individual  purse.  In  return  he  demanded 
privileges  and  concessions  so  extraordinary  that  his  petition, 
though  approved  by  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  was  rejected  by 
the  Council  of  the  Indies.  Espejo  also  thought  of  continuing 
his  work  of  colonization,  and,  believing  himself  with  more 
rights  than  Don  Cristobal  and  theother  claimants,  absolutely 
ignored  the  viceroy  and  other  authorities  in  Mexico;  address- 
ing himself  directly  to  the  king,  through  the  medium  of  his 
son-in-law,  Don  Pedro  Gonzales  de  Mendoza.  In  this  second 
effort  Espejo  failed. 

Bonilla  and  Barbadillo,  in  accordance  with  previous  arran- 
gement and  agreement  with  Espejo,  were  waiting  in  Madrid 
for  Gonzales  de  Mendoza;  who  carried  with  him,  for  the  King, 
a  copy  of  Espejo's  narrative.  Espejo  offered  to  take  four 
hundred  men  with  their  wives  and  families,  and  in  addition, 
four  companies  of  soldiers  and  all  the  military  stores  and 
ammunitions  of  war,  horses,  live  stock  of  cattle  and  sheep  and 
everything  else  needed  for  undertaking  the  colonization  on  a 
large  scale  in  all  of  which  he  promised  to  spend  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  thousand  ducats;  and,  that  the  new  colonies 
should  not  be  lacking  in  spiritual  help,  offered  also  to  take 
twenty  four  Franciscan  Fathers.  In  return  for  his  sacrifices 
and  large  expenses  he  asked  for  himself  the  appointment  of 
Captain  General  and  Governor  with  privileges  equal  to  the 
ones  granted  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico.  The  petition  of 
Espejo,  together  with  that  of  Don  Cristobal  Martin,  were 
referred  by  the  King  to  Don  Francisco  Diaz  de  Vargas 
{historiographer  and  relative  of  the  conqueror  of  the  same 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  189' 

name)  who  at  that  time  was  alcalde  of  the  City  of  Puebla, 
that  he  might  make  a  minute  and  conscientious  investigation 
into  what  Espejo,  Don  Martin  and  the  others  solicited.  Don 
Francisco  Diaz  de  Vargas,  basing  his  opinion  upon  the 
failure  of  the  expeditions  of  Fr.  de  la  Asunci6n,  Fr.  Marcos 
de  Niza,  Fr.  Francisco  Rodriguez  (Ruiz)  and  Coronado's,  did 
not  hesitate  in  giving  his  decision  unfavorable  to  the  petitions 
of  Espejo  and  the  others. 

The  report  of  De  Vargas  had  the  effect  of  causing  said 
petitions  to  be  all  ignored,  but,  not  on  that  account,  were  the 
other  rich  and  prominent  men  in  civic  and  military  affairs, 
discouraged.  In  the  province  of  New  Galicia  lived  Don  Juan 
Bautista  de  Lomas  y  Colmenares  who  in  the  year  1589 
presented  his  petition  to  the  Viceroy  Villamanique  asking 
authority  for  the  conquest  of  New  Mexico,  he  offering  also  to 
defray  all  the  expenses  on  his  own  account.  This  petition 
was  approved  by  the  Viceroy,  but  rejected  by  the  King.  De 
Lomas  did  not  abandon  the  hope  of  realizing  his  wishes 
and  so  in  1592,  Velasco  being  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  he  again 
presented  a  new  petition,  but  without  obtaining  results, 
because  Velasco  had  already  [promised  that  privillege  to 
Francisco  de  Urdinola  whom  he  afterwards  appointed  to 
undertake  the  conquest  of  New  Mexico.  Urdinola,  however, 
was  not  able  to  undertake  the  conquest  because  he  was 
arrested  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  having  killed  his  wife. 
When  Don  Juan  Bautista  de  Lomas  saw  the  failure  of  Urdi- 
nola he  made  in  1595,  another  petition  with  the  same  object, 
Monterey  being  then  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  but  he  again  was 
doomed  to  a  similar  disappointment. 

Gaslafio  de  Sosa  Steps  In  and  Gives   the  Pueblo  Indians  the  Formal 
Government  Which  They  Have  to  This  Day. 

Don  Gaspar  Castano  de  Sosa  was  a  man  of  great  prestige, 
and  Mayor  of  the  City  of  San  Luis  Potosi.  Intrepid,  and 
arrogant,  and  believing  himself  a  man  of  great  prominence 
he  determined  to  undertake  the  conquest  and  colonization  of 
New  Mexico.  He  assembled,  in  men,  women  and  children, 
one  hundred  and  seventy  persons  and  started  on  July  27, 1590, 
from  Nuevo  Leon  carrying  along  wagons,  horses,   mules,. 


190  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

cattle,  sheep,  and  all  necessary  things  for  the  foundation 
of  colonies. 

Part  of  his  route  was  through  the  Rio  Grande,  and  part 
along  the  Rio  de  Pecos  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  "Rio 
Salado,"  (Salt  River).  Castano  visited  all  the  pueblos  of  New 
Mexico  and  was  kindly  received  by  the  Indians,  except  in  one 
of  them  where  he  had  to  employ  force  in  order  to  penetrate 
into  it.  Castano,  although  without  any  authority  from  the 
king,  adopted  a  better  policy  than  his  predecessors,  for  it  was 
he  who  for  the  first  time,  gave  the  pueblos  a  definite  form  of 
government  appointing,  in  the  greater  part  of  them,  a  gover- 
nor and  other  officials.  The  government  which  Castano  gave 
the  Indians  at  that  time  was  subsequently  recognized  by  the 
governments  of  Spain  and  Mexico,  and,  even  in  our  own  days, 
and  under  the  United  States  government,  the  same  system 
of.government  is  still  in  force  in  all  the  pueblos.  Castano  was 
about  to  return  to  New  Spain  when  he  was  met  in  the  Pueblo 
of  San  Domingo  by  Capt.  Juan  Morete,  who  was  coming  with 
an  escort  of  fifty  men,  sent  by  the  viceroy,  to  arrest  Castano. 
Castano  did  not  resist  the  authority,  but  surrendered  at  dis- 
cretion, and  with  his  men  was  taken  back  to  Mexico,  ending 
thus  with  his  voyage  to  New  Mexico. 

De  Lomas — Coming  of  Humana  and  Boniila — Arrest  of  Castano  de 
Sosa  Related  by  Villagra. 

Concerning  the  expedition  made  by  Juan  de  Humana  and 
Francisco  Leyba  Boniila  (Boniila  was  a  Portuguese)  to  New 
Mexico,  little  or  nothing  is  known,  having  been  undertaken 
without  any  authority,  there  is  no  authentic  history  about  it 
outside  what  Villagra  tells  us,  who,  while  accompanying 
Oflate,  as  we  shall  see,  met  an  Indian  called  Jusepe,  at  the 
Pueblo  of  San  Juan,  and  from  him  Villagrd  learned  that 
Ha  mafia,  Boniila  and  the  Indian  Jusepe  in  their  company  had 
penetrated  as  far  as  the  Great  Quivira  retu  rning  thence  laden 
with  gold,  and  that,  while  they  were  returning,  Humafia  had 
murdered  Boniila;  that,  subsequently,  the  Spaniards,  who 
had  remained  with  Humafia,  were  surprised  by  the  Indians 
and  all  had  been  killed — he  alone  (Jusepe)  having  been  able 
to  escape  from  the  massacre. 

The  tragical  outcome  of  the  efforts  of  De  Lomas  and  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  191 

arrest  of  Castailo  is  given  to  us   by  Villagra  in  one  of  the 
cantos  of  his  epic  poem  in  these  words: 

"The  viceroy  ordered  that  the  voyage  should 

Be  reo-istered  without  delay;  Juan 

Bautista  Lomas  undertook  at  once 

The  task.     A  man  of  wealth,  tho'  old  in  years, 

Was  he,  with  highest  credit  o'er  the  land. 

He  laid  his  plan  before  the  viceroy  but 

Without  effect.     Towards  the  closing-  of 

The  year  eig-hty-nine  and  middle  of 

Ninety  Castafio  entered:  for  he  was 

Lieutenant  oldest  of  the  king-dom  of 

Leon,  followed  by  a  valiant  multitude 

Of  nobles  whose  intrepid  chief  of  camp 

Was  called  Cristobal  Heredia,  well 

Versed  in  the  affairs  of  war  and  also  with 

Discretion  to  explore  deserted  lands. 

The  viceroy  ordered  all  of  them,  by  Capt. 

Morete  apprehended:  Who,  without 

Delay,  and  helped  by  fearless  soldiery. 

Well  fit  by  exercise  to  do  the  work. 

Caused  their  arrest,  and  set  them  in  their  post.''  * 

*  Villag-ra's  "Historia  de  la  Nueva  Mexico." 


Captain  Gaspar  de  VlIIaKril.  co-conqueror  of  Onatc,  1598,  and  first  liistoiian  of 
New  Mexico.  His  "Historia  de  la  Xueva  Mexico"  was  publisheil  in  Spain  in  tlie 
year   ICIO. 


BOOK  U. 

EPOCH  OF  THE  FIRST  CONQUEST,  PACIFICATION  AND 
CHRISTIANIZATION  OF  THE  INDIGENES,  BY  DON 
JUAN  DE  ONATE,  1595-1608. 

CHAPTER  L 

Epoch  of  the  Entry  ol  Onate — The  Conquest  is  Effected — Christianiza- 
tion  and  Pacification  of  the  Indians  of  New  Mexico. 

Upon  a  careful  reading  of  the  works  of  the  old  authors, 
which  the  author  of  this  work  has  been  able  to  read,  he  has 
reached  the  conviction  that  many  of  them  do  not  agree  as  to 
the  date  of  Onate's  departure,  the  majority  of  them  giving  it 
at  the  year  1595.  There  is  no  doubt  that  all  of  them  have  con- 
founded the  dates  in  which  Onate  commenced  to  make  his  peti- 
tions and  preparations,  and  from  that  error  many  others  have 
flowed  in  regard  to  Onate's  voyage.  Villagrd  was  the  most 
distinguished  of  Oilate's  captains,  and  the  historian  of  this 
important  expedition.  Taking,  then,  into  consideration  the 
fact  that  the  Spanish  authors  themselves  are  so  confused  in 
the  matter  of  dates  so  memorable,  there  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  censure  the  writers  of  other  nations  who  have  had  to 
depend  on  translators  who  never,  perhaps,  took  the  pains  of 
comparing  the  works  from  which  they  were  translating  with 
the  original  writings. 

All  the  authors,  who  have  w  ritten  on  the  history  of  New  Mex- 
ico, with  the  exception  of  Bancroft,  are  in  error  as  to  the  date 
on  which  Onate  undertook  his  voyage  of  conquest.  Fr.  Frejes 
(see  appendix  No.  2)  says  it  was  in  1595;  Shea  and  Salpointe 
tix  it  at  1596;  Prince,  Davis  and  the  rest  affirm  that  it  was  in 
1591.  It  seems  certain  that  none  of  them  ever  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  consulting  Villagra,  hence  the  error  referred  to. 
Pino  and  Barriero  do  not  mention  Cabeza  do  Vaca,  Fr. 
Marcos  de  Niza,  and  Coronado.  Pino  affirms  that  the  expul- 
sion of  Otermin  happened  in  1644,  36  years  before  the  time 
it  actually  took  place.     In  like  manner,  Pino  and   Barriero 


ORIA 

^DE  1:A  NVEVA 

MEXICO,DEL  CAPITA!^ 


VIR 


CASPAR  DEXill-LAGRA, 


Ano 


IPE 


I^IO, 


vTLEGIo: 


Km--.siiiulie  of  tlif  titU-  piiKf  of  llif  (ii-sl  liistory  of  Nrw  .M.'xiro.  wri 
Oaptaiii  Gaspar  de  VillaRra,  one  of  Onate's  most  (iistliiKuislicd  oapt!iiii> 
conquest  of  New  Mexlc-o,  15<,)H.    Published  In  Spain  in  Itiio. 


ILLUSTRATED    IIISTOUV    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  19.') 

affirm  that  Oilate  made  liis  voyage  in  1595.  We  shall  speak 
of  these  two  authors  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

Bancroft  is  the  tirst  of  the  English  speaking  writers  who 
discovered  the  error  in  1877,  date  in  which  he  found  the 
work  of  Villagrd.  Villagrd  wrote  his  w^ork  entitled  "History 
of  New  Mexico"  a  few  years  after  the  pacification  of  New 
Mexico  (in  1610,)  and,  as  he  was  one  of  the  conquerors  him- 
self, it  follows  that  the  account  given  by  him  is  both  authen- 
tic and  acurrate.  The  Author  of  this  work,  notwithstanding 
the  fact,  that  the  Historical  Society  of  New  Mexico  has  a 
copy  of  Villagra's  History,  obtained  the  book  through  the 
agency  of  Mr.  Camilo  Padilla,  of  El  Paso,  Texas,  who  found 
the  volume  in  Old  Mexico.  It  is  thus  that  this  author  can 
furnish  the  reader  with  the  very  source  of  one  of  the  most 
important  historical  events  of  our  soil.  By  this  means,  the 
radical  change  which,  this  work  of  Villagra,  makes  in  all  the 
works  written  before  Bancroft's,  can  be  better  appreciated. 
— A  reason,  too,  why  the  author  has  deemed  it  opportune  to 
say  something  respecting  the  efforts  made  in  Mexico  to  find 
so  precious  a  work. 

Don  Francisco  del  Paso  y  Troncoso,  director  of  the  National 
Museum  in  Mexico  in  1899  or  1900,  upon  learning  that  a  copy 
of  the  "History  of  New  Mexico''  by  Villagra  was  on  the  hands 
of  a  man  in  Madrid,  Spain,  called  Manuel  Gomez  Velasco, 
made  a  trip  to  Madrid,  with  the  sole  object  of  obtaining  the 
work  in  order  to  reprint  it  in  Mexico.  He  had  no  difficulty  in 
getting  it,  as  he  himself  tells  us  in  his  "introduction"  to  the 
new  edition.  He  brought  it  to  Mexico  and  reprinted  it  on  the 
printing  press  of  the  National  Museum  the  same  year  of  1900. 

How  rare  that  work  w^as  up  to  that  date,  Mr.  Troncoso 
states  in  his  introduction  in  the  following  w^ords;  "The  book 
of  Villagrd  is  actually  very  rare,  it  was  published  for  the  first 
time  at  AlcaU  de  Henares  (Spain)  in  the  year  1610,  (eleven 
years  after  the  conquest  of  New  Mexico  by  Oiiate)  in  an 
8vo  volume,  of  24  preliminary  leaves  not  numbered,  and  the 
text  folded  into  pages  from  1  to  287.  The  copies  of  this  first 
edition  preserved  in  the  public  and  private  libraries  are  few^ 
and  here,  in  Mexico,  there  are  extant  only  three  or  four 
copies.'' 

There  is  no  reason,  then,  to  criticize  the  historians   who 


196  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

wrote  anterior  to,  or  contemporaneously,  withTorquemada,  or 
Torquemada  himself;  or  even  those  who  wrote  after  him, 
much  less,  those  of  other  nations,  for  none  of  them  had  seen 
the  work  of  Villagr^.  That  is  how  the  historical  errors  came 
to  be  transmitted  till  the  year  1900,  when  the  National 
Museum  of  Mexico  issued  the  second  edition  of  Villagra. 

To  the  work  of  Villagra  four  appendices  have  been  added, 
the  first,  by  Don  Jose  Fernando  Ramirez  in  which  all  the 
"Documents,  in  reference  to  Villagra,"'  were  published.  The 
second  appendix  is  that  of  Father  Alonzo  de  Benavides,  and 
it  treats  of  "The  Spiritual  and  Temporal  Treasures  which 
redounded  in  the  benefit  of  the  Indians  of  New  Mexico  through 
the  services  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers."  This  appendix  was 
read  to  the  king  in  1630,  and  the  Author  considers  it  of  such 
importance,  especially  because  of  its  having  been  ignored  by 
the  other  writers,  that  he  has  reproduced  it  in  full,  as  the 
first  appendix  of  this  work. 

The  third  appendix  is  from  the  pen  of  the  Presbyter,  Don 
Agustin  Fischer,  and  treats,  among  other  important  things, 
of  the  uprising  of  New  Mexico  in  1643,  and  the  expulsion  of 
Otermin  and  the  rest  of  the  Spaniards  (reproducing  Otei'- 
min's  narrative  itself)  in  1680. 

The  fourth  appendix,  written  by  the  Count  Don  Carlos  de 
Siguenza  y  Gongora  in  1693,  under  the  title  of  "Mercurio 
Volante,"  treats  of  the  restoration  of  the  provinces  of  New 
Mexico  accomplished  by  Diego  de  Vargas,  Zapata  y  Lujan, 
Ponce  de  Leon,  governor  and  captain  general  of  that  king- 
dom. Sigtienza  also  reproduces  the  narrative  of  De  Vargas 
himself,  a  thing  the  Author  of  this  work  has  emulated  in 
another  chapter,  with  the  sole  object  of  giving  to  the  world 
the  true  history  of  the  greatest  of  conquerors  of  New  Mexico. 
We  shall  now  begin  our  narrative  of  the  voyage. 

Entry  of  Onate— 1598. 
The  conqueror,  Don  Juan  de  Onate,  was  not  a  full-blooded 
Spaniard,  but  a  direct  descendant  from  Hernan  Cortes,  and 
from  Emperor  Montezuma.  His  father,  Don  Cristobal  de 
Ofiate,  was  one  of  the  most  famed  captains  of  Cortes,  in 
the  conquest  of  the  rich  and  powerful  Mexican  empire,  and 
the  founder  of  the  City  of  Zacatecas.  His  mother  DoHa  Isabel 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  197 

Tolosa,wasa  grand  daughterof  Cortes  and  great  grand-daugh- 
ter of  Montezuma.  Our  hero,  then,  Don  Juan  deOilate,  was 
related  to  the  "Great  Men"  of  Mexico  and  Spain,  and  was 
consequently  a  man  of  much  importance  and  great  prestige 
in  governmental  affairs. 

The  narratives  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  Niza,  Coronado  and 
Espejo  had  imbued  Don  Juan  with  the  idea  that  to  him  Pro- 
vidence had  reserved  the  honor  of  the  discovery,  pacification 
and  christianization  of  the  provinces  of  New  Mexico.  He 
concluded,  therefore,  to  undertake  the  big  enterprise  relying 
not  only  on  the  well  established  prestige  of  his  parents  and 
grandparents,  but  also  on  the  brilliant  military  career  which 
he  had  made  himself,  and  above  all,  on  the  great  fortune  he 
had  at  his  command  for  the  realization  of  his  ideal.  He, 
therefore,  presented  to  Viceroy  Velasco  on  September  25th, 
A.  D.  1595,  his  petition,  or  solicitation,  soliciting  the  favor  he 
had  so  much  yearned  for,  obliging  himself  to  bear  all  the 
necessary  expenses,  both  of  men  and  troops,  as  well  as  of 
war  materials,  food  provisions,  wagons,  colonists  with  their 
families,  and,  in  short,  vv'hatever  might  be  necessary  for 
effecting  the  colonization  ot  New  Mexico.  In  return  and,  as 
reward  for  his  services  and  expenses,  he  asked  to  be  appointed 
governor  and  captain  general  of  all  the  lands  he  might  be 
able  to  colonize;  he  asked,  further,  for  a  land  grant  of  thirty 
leagues  (nearly  ninety  miles),  and  a  salary  of  8,000  ducats  a 
year:  that  he  and  his  descendants  should  be  declared  "hijos 
dalgos,"'  (nobles)  and  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  carry  along 
as  many  as  six  priests  well  equipped.  For  the  maintenance 
of  the  soldiers,  however,  he  requested  a  loan  of  $20,000.00 
from  the  royal  coffers.  V^elasco  approved  Onate's  petition 
granting  him  everything  he  asked,  and  the  "capitulations"' 
(contract)  was  signed  on  the  24th  of  August  of  the  same 
year  (1595). 

Having  signed  the  contract,  Oiiate  began  the  work  of  pro- 
curing the  means  which  the  enterprise  required,  and,  with 
the  aid  of  his  powerful  relatives  and  friends,  he  was  able,  in 
a  very  short  time,  to  gather  at  Santa  Barbara  a  number  of 
adventurers  who  were  anxious  to  win  fame.  In  the  formation 
of  the  army,  Onate  was  encouraged,  helped  and  sustained  by 
his  brothers,  Fernando,  Cristobal,  Alonzo  and  Luis,  and   by 


198  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  four  Zaldivar  brothers  (who  were  Onate's  nephews),  sons 
of  Juan  Zaldivar,  who  had  been  a  captain  of  Coronado.  The 
names  of  the  Zaldivars  were  Cristobal,  Francisco,  Juan  and 
Vicente;  Vicente  was  appointed  sergeant.in-chief,  and,  as 
such,  commenced  to  enlist  men  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  imm*^-- 
diately  after  the  papers  had  been  signed,  being  thus  able, 
without  much  difficulty,  to  enlist  the  200  men  which  Onate 
had  promised. 

While  this  was  going  on  in  Onate's  camp,  in  the  month  of 
November,  a  change  of  viceroys  occurred.  The  Count  of 
Monterey  arrived  from  Spain  as  successor  to  Velasco.  With 
the  change  of  viceroys,  the  Onates  and  their  supporters  lost 
their  prestige,  because  the  new  viceroy  had,  as  is  always  the 
case  with  all  public  men,  his  particular  friends  and  advisors. 
These  began  at  once  to  tile  complaints  against  Onate,  de- 
manding his  suspension,  and  the  appointment  in  his  place  of 
Don  Pedro  Ponce  de  Leon.  The  new  viceroy  reported  to  the 
King  all  that  was  going  on,  asking  at  the  same  time  for 
authority  to  suspend  Onate  pending  the  necessary  investiga- 
tions which  w^ere  to  be  made.  The  King  granted  the  petition 
of  the  viceroy,  forwarding  at  once  his  royal  order  to  that 
effect. 

Onate,  unconscious  of  what  was  being  done,  continued 
making  his  arrangements  for  the  voyage.  His  preparations 
being  now  concluded,  and  just  as  he  was  getting  ready  to 
undertake  the  voyage,  a  courier  arrived  from  Mexico,  bring- 
ing the  royal  order  instructing  the  viceroy  not  to  allow  Onate 
to  prosecute  his  entry  into  New  Mexico.  The  King  based 
his  decision  on  the  information  secretly  made  to  him  by  the 
viceroy,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  following  order  of  the  King  and 
the  command  of  the  viceroy: 

The  King. 

"Count  of  Monterey,  my  Viceroy,  Governor  and  Captain 
General  of  New  Spain,  or  to  the  person  or  persons  in  whose 
charge  is  the  government  of  the  same:  Having  seen  the  letter 
you  wrote  to  me  on  December  the  I'Oth  of  last  year,  in  which 
you  speak  of  the  agreement  which  the  viceroy,  Don  Luis 
Velasco, your  predecessor,  iiad  made  with  Don  Juan  deOilate, 
touching  the  discovery  of  New  Mexico,  and  the  causes,  which 


ILLUSTUATEI)    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  199 

you  say,  held  you  back  in  what  was  resolved,  remarking  that 
it  was  not  convenient  to  approve  the  agreement,  if  recourse 
was  had  here  on  the  part  of  said  Don  Juan  de  Dilate  until  you 
should  again  write  to  me;  and  consulting,  through  my  Royal 
Council  of  the  Indies,  on  my  subject  Don  Pedro  Ponce  de 
Leon,  who  is  said  to  be  from  the  Villa  of  Ba^len,  having  offered 
to  make  said  discovery,  I  have  determined  that  the  execution 
of  what  was  capitulated  with  the  said  Don  Juan  de  Ofiate,  be 
suspended.  And  I,  therefore,  command  you  not  to  permit 
the  entry  to  be  made  by  him  nor  to  prosecute  it,  if  he  should 
have  commenced  it,  but  let  him  hold  back  until  I  shall  provide 
and  command  what  may  seem  convenient  to  me,  about  which 
you  shall  have  prompt  notice.  Dated  at  Azeca,  May  8th,  in 
the  year  one  thousand  live  hundred  and  ninety-six,  I,  the 
King,  by  command  of  the  King,  our  lord,  Juan  Ybarra.'" 

Gommand  of  the  Viceroy,  the  Count  of  Monte  Rey. 

"Don  Gaspar  de  Zuiiiga  y  Azevedo,  Count  of  Monte  Rey, 
Lord  of  the  houses  and  estate  of  Biedina  y  Ulloa,  Viceroy, 
Lieutenant,  and  Captain  General  of  His  Majesty,  in  this  New 
Spain,  and  President  of  the  Royal  Audience  and  Chancery 
that  therein  resides:  To  you,  Don  Lope  de  Ulloa,  Captain  of 
my  guard,  to  whom  I  entrusted  the  inspection  concerning 
our  investigation  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  agreement  that  Don 
Juan  de  Ofiate  is  taking  in  regard  to  the  journey  of  discovery, 
pacification  and  conversion  of  the  provinces  of  New  Mexico — 
with  the  appointment  of  my  lieutenant  in  order  to  prevent, 
obviate,  and  chastise  the  disorders  and  excesses  that  may  be 
committed  by  the  men  on  said  journey!  Know  ye,  that  by 
command  of  the  King,  our  lord,  to  me  addressed,  and  given 
at  Azeca  on  May  &th,  1596,  I  am  commanded  and  ordered  not 
to  permit  that  the  said  Don  Juan  de  Onate  make  the  entry  of 
said  New  Mexico,  nor  prosecute  it  if  he  has  commenced  it, 
but  to  hold  back  until  His  Majesty  provides  and  commands 
what  may  seem  convenient,  and  that  about  this  matter,  he 
shall  send  me  prompt  notice;  wherefore,  in  the  meanwhile, 
His  Majesty  has  determined  to  suspend  the  execution  of 
what  has  been  capitulated  with  the  said  Don  Juan  de  Ofiate, 
according,  as  it  all  appears  in  the  original  Royal  order,  which 
I  enclose  herewith  with  this  my  command.     And  as  it  is  fit 


200  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

that  what  His  Majesty  orders  be  made  evident  to  the  said 
Don  Juan  de  Onate  so  he  may  keep  it  and  comply  with  it  we 
command  you  to  notify,  and  caused  to  notify  said  Don  Juan 
de  Onate  about  the  said  original  Royal  Order  as  well  as  this 
my  order  and  command  so  he  may  keep  it  and  comply  with 
it  as  contained  therein.  For  which  purpose,  in  the  name  of 
His  Majesty  and  mine,  as  Viceroy,  and  his  lieutenant  and 
supreme  captain  general  of  this  New  Spain  and  of  the  pro- 
vinces and  journey  of  New  Mexico;  I  command  the  said  Don 
Juan  de  Onate,  that  by  keeping  it  and  complying  with,  as 
soon  as  this  my  command  is  notified  and  cause  to  notify  to 
him  by  you,  to  halt,  and  not  to  advance  any  further  from  the 
point  and  place  where  he  may  be  notified,  nor  consent,  that 
the  men  he  has  mustered  may  pass,  nor  the  provisions,  ammu- 
nition, baggage,  nor  anything  else,  nor  to  prosecute  said 
journey,  but  rather  desist  from  it,  and  hold  back  until  there 
be  a  new  order  from  his  Majesty  and  in  his  Royal  name;  and 
in  his  failure  of  not  complying,  in  case  he  should  advance 
forward  against  what  is  provided  for  in  said  Royal  Order  and 
by  me  commanded  in  this  my  command,  if  it  be  not  with 
your  express  permission,  by  writing,  in  order  the  better  to 
hold  back  said  men,  I,  therefore,  in  the  said  Royal  Name, 
revoke  and  annul  the  titles,  patents,  contracts,  provisions, 
commissions  and  all  other  agreements  that  have  been  made 
in  the  name  of  His  Majesty  w^ith  and  to  said  Don  Juan  de 
Onate,  and  to  the  captains  and  officers  he  appointed  for  said 
journey,  or  to  carry  the  effect  of  it,  so  that  in  no  manner  may 
they  use,  nor  be  able  to  use  them,  with  the  understanding 
that,  by  doing  the  contrary,  nothing  will  be  complied  with 
which  has  been  granted  in  his  favor,  in  the  said  agreement 
and  capitulations;  and  that  it  will  be  proceeded  against  their 
persons  and  effects,  as  transgressors  of  the  orders  and  com- 
mands of  their  King  and  natural  lord,  and  as  is  done  against 
rebellious  and  disloyal  vassals,  usurpers  of  the  rights  of 
discovery,  entry  and  conquest  of  provinces  belonging  to  His 
Majesty;  and  that  the  processes  that  by  reason  of  this 
disobedience,  rebelliousness,  and  most  grave  offences  may 
have  to  be  made  1  do  from  now  on  call,  summon,  and  cite  them 
to  appear,  within  sixty  days  after  the  notification  of  this 
command,  personally  in  this  city  of  Mexico  at  the  houses 


ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  201 

"wherein  is  my  residence,  before  ray  person  and  tliat  of  the 
judges  that  I  shall  appoint  to  hear  such  cases,  where  by 
appearing  they  will  be  heard  and  justice  shall  be  done  to 
them;  and  that  by  not  appearing  and  in  their  absence  and  on 
account  of  their  rebelliouness  a  process  shall  be  formed 
against  them  and  the  processes  shall  be  notified  to  them  in 
chambers  and  they  shall  be  assessed  in  damages,  as  if  they 
had  been  notified  in  their  own  persons.  All  of  which  I  send 
as  It  is,  not  only  to  the  said  Don  Juan,  but  to  the  captains 
and  officials  of  said  corps,  who  are  engaged  for  the  said 
journey;  and,  then,  if  it  should  appear  to  you,  that  it  should 
come  to  the  notice,  of  the  other  soldiers  and  men,  you  shall 
•cause  a  public  proclamation  to  be  published  declaring  to  all 
the  said  officers,  soldiers  and  persons  that  in  any  way  may 
be  going  to  the  journey  that,  under  penalty  of  death  and  the 
loss  of  their  property,  and  of  being  held  and  considered  as 
rebellious  and  disloyal  vassals  of  his  Majesty,  not  to  advance 
further  in  their  voyage;  and,  in  right  thereof  let  them  neither 
hear  nor  obey  said  Don  Juan.  And  so  I  provide,  and  I  com- 
mand that  this  my  command  go  countersigned  by  Juan 
Martinez  de  Guilleftigui,  my  secretary,  and  that  he  give  as 
much  testimony  as  if  despatched  by  the  goverment;  where- 
fore, in  virtue  of  the  particular  Royal  Order,  which  I  hold,  to 
act  in  cases  I  may  deem  proper,  with  my  secretaries,  I 
command  with  all  due  regards  that  my  said  secretary  counter- 
sign it.  Done  in  Mexico  on  August  12th,  1596.  The  Count 
of  Monte  Rey.  By  command  of  his  Lordship,  Juan  Martinez 
de  Guilleftigui. 

The  sadness  that  took  possession  of  Oiiate's  soul  is  thus 
•depicted  to  us  by  Villagra  in  the  following  verse: 

••This  sad  and  miserable  life,  my  lord, 
Feeds  only  an  illusive,  paltry  liopes 
Whose  meagre  substance  has  hardly  reached 
Our  doors  when  lol  it  sinks  and  vanishes 
In  unexpected  suddenness." 

The  bad  news  did  not  discourage  Oiiate  who,  in  order  to 
keep  unaltered  the  enthusiasm  in  his  soldiers,  acquainted 
neither  the  colonists  nor  the  troops  with  the  contents  of  the 
order,  but  rather  told   them   that  they  were  orders   to  the 


202  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

effect  that  he  should  not  delay  longer  his  departure.  Onate 
appeared  frequently  before  his  soldiers  and  colonists  advis- 
ing them  not  be  dismayed,  and  assuring  them  that  the  day 
of  the  departure  was  not  far  off.  He  was  thus  able  to  calm 
the  spirits  of  some  of  the  displeased  ones,  who  already  were 
murmuring,  among  them  being  some  of  the  priests,  many  of 
whom  at  last  decided  to  abandon  Oiiate. 

Onate  lost  no  time  in  making  satisfactory  reply  to  the 
charges  of  his  enemies,  who,  headed  by  Ponce  de  Leon,  em- 
ployed every  sort  of  trickery  in  order  to  effect  the  ruin  of 
Oiiate  and  his  friends.  The  friends  of  Onate  did  not  forsake 
him  in  his  moments  of  anguish;  all  fought,  with  equal  bold- 
ness, the  foes  of  Oiiate,  being  able,  after  a  bitter  struggle  of 
almost  three  years,  to  overcome  Ponce  de  Leon  and  his 
partisans.  The  victory  being  achieved,  nothing  was  want- 
ing, except  that  the  formal  inspection,  ex-officio,  which  was 
to  be  made  as  to  the  precise  condition  of  the  army  and  the 
means  of  Oiiate  to  comply  with  his  promises.  The  inspection 
was  made  by  the  inspector,  Don  Juan  Frias  Salazar,  during 
the  months  of  December  1597  and  January  1598,  and  as  he 
found  everything  in  perfect  condition,  and  in  strict  confor- 
mity with  the  legal  requirements,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  give 
a  favorable  report,  thus  enabling  Onate  to  undertake  his 
voyage. 

Onate  and  his  People  Start. 

On  the  26th  day  of  January  1598,  the  caravan,  which  was 
to  mark  our  history  with  its  most  memorable  epoch, 
started  out  on  its  vo.yage.  They  started  from  Santa  Bar- 
bara (San  Bartolome)  numbering  altogether,  40l)  souls  of 
which  130  were  colonists  who  came  accompanied  by  their 
families.  In  addition  to  his  sheep,  Oiiate  brought  7000  head  of 
cattle  and  83  wagons.  On  the  seventh  day  of  February  they 
reached  Rio  Conchos.  Thence  he  continued  his  march,  but 
not  along  the  river,  and  were  lost  in  the  desert,  and  suffered 
a  great  deal  becauseof  the  scarcity  of  water.  During  the  long 
and  painful  journey  they  made  before  reaching  the  Rio  Grande 
all  suffered  and  went  four  days  without  drinking  a  drop  of 
water.  When  despair  had  already  taken  possession  of  their 
souls,  believing  themselves   on  the  verge  of  perishing  from 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OP    NKVV    MEXICO.  20S 

thirst,  together  with  call  the  stock,  they  reached  the  Kio 
Grande,  many  soldiers  and  many  horses  dying  and  drown- 
ing through  overdraughts  of  water.  Let  us  liear  Villagi a 
relate  what  he  saw  and  witnessed  immediately  after  they 
had  arrived  at  the  river.     Villagrd  speaks: 

"Tlie  horses  ^jaunt  api)roached  the  rolling  stream. 

And  with  great  speed  into  the  waters  plunf^ed 

Ileadlong:  and  two  of  them  so  mucli  did  drink 

That,  burstin^i-.  side  by  side  to<^-ether  died. 

Two  otliers  blinded  by  their  raving-  tiiirst 

Into  the  powerful  river  pushed  so  deep 

That,  carried  by  the  current,  perished,  drowned. 

And,  as  when  in  a  public  tavern  some 

Foul  wretches  stretched  themselves  across  the  Hoor 

Intoxicated  by  the  wine  they  drink. 

So  our  companions  lay  hidropic  and 

Deformed,  and  swollen  on  the  humid  sand, 

As  if  they  were  unsig-htly  toads,  not  men— 

The  river  not  appearing-  big-  enoug-h 

To  them  for  quenching  their  devouring-  thirst." 

On  the  80th  day  of  April,  1598,  Oilate  took  on  the  banks  of 
the  Rio  Grande  formal  and  solemn  possession  of  New  Mex- 
ico in  the  following  form: 

"In  the  name  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  and  the  undivided 
Eternal  Unity,  Deity  and  Majesty,  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost,  three  persons  in  one  sole  essence,  and  one  and  only 
true  God  that  with  his  eternal  will,  Almighty  Power  and 
Intinite  Wisdom,  directs,  governs  and  disposes  potently  and 
sweetly  from  sea  to  sea,  from  end  to  end,  as  beginning  and 
end  of  all  things,  and  in  whose  hands  the  Eternal  Pontiticate- 
and  Priesthood,  the  Empires  and  Kingdoms,  Trincipalities, 
Dynasties,  Republics,  elders  and  minors,  families  and  per- 
sons, as  in  an  Eternal  Priest,  Emperor  and  King  of  Emper- 
ors and  Kings,  Lord  of  lords,  Creator  of  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  elements,  birds  and  fishes,  animals  and  plants  and 
of  all  creatures  corporal  and  spiritual,  rational  and 
irrational,  from  the  most  supreme  cherubim  to  the  most 
despised  ant  and  tiny  butterfly;  and  to  his  honor  and  glory 
and  of  his  most  sacred  and  blessed  mother,  the  Holy  Virgin 
Mary,  our  Lady,  gate  of  heaven,  ark  of  the  covenant  in 
whom  the  manna  of  heaven,  the  rod  of  divine  justice,  and  arm 


"204  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

of  God  and  his  law  of  grace  and  love  was  placed,  as  Mother 
of  God,  Sun,  Moon,  North  Star,  guide  and  advocate  of  hurnan- 
ity;  and  in  honor  of  the  Seraphic  Father,  San  Francisco, 
image  of  Christ,  God  in  body  and  soul,  His  Royal  Ensign, 
patriarch  of  the  poor,  whom  I  adopt  as  my  patrons  and  advo- 
cates, guides,  defenders  and  intercessors,  that  they  pray  to 
the  same  God  in  order  that  all  my  thoughts,  words  and 
actions  be  directed  to  the  service  of  his  Infinite  Majesty,  the 
increase  of  the  faithful  and  expansion  of  his  holy  church,  and 
obedience  to  the  most  Christian  King,  Don  Felipe,  our  lord, 
strong  column  of  the  Catholic  faith,  may  God  preserve  for 
many  years;  and  the  crown  of  Castile,  and  the  enlargement 
of  his  kingdoms  and  provinces:  I  wish  that  those  that  are 
now,  or  at  any  time  may  be,  know  that  I,  Don  Juan  de  Onate, 
governor  and  captain  general,  and  Adelantado  of  New  Mex- 
ico, and  of  its  kingdoms  and  provinces,  as  well  as  of  those  in 
their  vicinity  and  contiguous  thereto,  as  settler,  discoverer 
and  pacifier  of  them  and  of  the  said  kingdoms,  by  the  order 
of  the  King,  our  lord.  I  say  that  whereas  by  virtue  of  my 
appointment  and  titles  that  his  majesty  gives  me,  therefore, 
^s  such  governor,  captain  general  and  Adelantado  of  said 
kingdoms  and  provinces,  he  promises  me,  in  virtue  of  his 
Royal  ordnances  and  Royal  orders  and  two  other  sub-orders 
and  chapters  of  letters  of  the  King,  our  lord;  dated  at 
Valencia,  January  26th,  in  the  year  1586;  dated  at  San 
Lorenzo  on  the  19th  of  June,  in  the  year  1589;  dated  the  17th 
<:>f  January,  1593;  dated  the  21st  of  July,  1595;  and  by  another 
last  Royal  order,  dated  the  2nd  of  April  of  this  past  year 
15y7,  in  which  in  spite  of  the  contradiction  of  other  parties, 
His  Majesty  approves  my  election  so  made,  continuing  my 
said  office,  and  now  I  come  in  demand  of  said  kingdoms  and 
provinces,  with  chief  officers,  captains,  ensigns,  soldiers,  and 
the  people  at  peace  and  at  war  to  people  and  pacify  them; 
and  with  a  great  quantity  of  war  materials,  wagons,  carts, 
cattle,  horses,  oxen,  sheep  and  other  stock,  and  as  many  of 
my  people  are  married,  I  find  myself  today  with  my  full 
and  entire  camp,  and  with  more  people  than  what  I  drew  out 
of  the  Province  of  Santa  Barbara,  near  the  river  which  they 
call  Del  Norte,  and  on  the  bank  which  is  contiguous  to  the 
iirst  towns  of  New   Mexico,   which  said  river  runs  through 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  205' 

them,  having  made  and  opened  a  road  for  carts,  broad  and 
plain,  that  others  without  difficulty  may  go  and  come  over  it, 
and  having  travelled  on  foot  one  hundred  leagues  of 
unpeopled  country;  and  whereas  I  wish  to  take  possession 
of  the  land  today,  the  day  of  the  Ascension  of  our  Lord, 
dated  April  30th,  of  the  present  year  1598;  through  the 
medium  of  the  person  of  Don  Juan  Perez  de  Douis,  clerk  of 
his  Majesty,  and  secretary  of  this  expedition  and  the  gov- 
ernment of  said  kingdoms  and  provinces,  by  word  and  in  the 
name  of  the  most  Christian  king,  Don  Felipe,  Segundo, 
(second)  of  that  name,  and  for  his  successors,  (may  they  be 
many)  and  with  the  utmost  happiness,  and  for  the  crown  of 
Castile  and  kings  that  from  his  glorious  descent  may  reign 
therein,  and  by,  and  for,  my  said  government,  relying  and 
resting  in  the  only  and  absolute  power  and  jurisdiction  which 
the  Eternal  High  Priest,  and  King,  Jesus  Christ,  son  of  the 
living  God,  universal  head  of  the  Church,  first  and  only  insti- 
tutor  of  her  sacraments,  base  and  corner  stone  of  the  old 
and  new  testaments,  and  its  foundation  and  perfection;  who 
has  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  not  only  as  God  and 
consubstantial  with  his  eternal  father,  but  as  Creator  of  all 
things,  who  is  the  only,  absolute  and  natural  proprietor — 
lord  of  all;  that  as  such  can  do  and  must  do,  order  and  dis- 
pose at  His  holy  will,  and  whatever  he  may  hold  as  goodr 
but  also  as  man,  to  whom  his  eternal  Father,  as  to  such, 
and  being  the  son  of  man  and  through  his  painful  and  sor- 
rowful death,  and  triumphant  and  glorious  resurrection  and 
ascension,  and  the  especial  title  of  universal  Redemptor, 
that  he  won  thereby,  gave  entire  faculty,  jurisdiction  and 
dominion,  civil  and  criminal,  high  and  low,  minor,  above  and 
below,  his  empire  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  over  the 
reigns  of  the  earth,  and  in  whose  hands  he  placed  the  weight 
and  measure,  the  judgment,  rewards  and  punishment  for  the 
universe,  making  him  not  only  King  and  Judge,  but  also  uni- 
versal pastor  of  the  faithful  and  infidels;  of  those  who  today 
believe  in  his  voice  and  follow  him  and  are  within  his  fold,, 
the  Christian  people,  and  of  those  who  have  not  heard  his 
voice  and  evangelical  word,  nor  do  know  him  now,  and  whom, 
he  says,  it  behooves  him  to  bring  to  his  divine  knowledge,, 
because  chey  are  his,  and  he  is  their  legitimate  and  universal 


206  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    XEW    MEXICO. 

pastor,  for  which  purpose,  having  ascended  to  his  Eternal 
Father,  in  his  corporal  being,  he  had  to  leave,  and  left,  as 
his  Vicar  and  substitute,  the  prince  of  the  Apostles,  St. 
Peter,  and  his  successors  legitimately  elected  to  whom  he 
gave  and  left  the  Kingdom,  power  and  Empire,  and  the  keys 
of  heaven,  just  as  the  same  Christ — God  received  them  from 
his  Eternal  Father,  as  his  head  and  universal  lord,  and  to 
the  others,  as  his  successors,  servants,  ministers  and  vicars, 
and  so  he  not  only  left  the  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  and 
spiritual  monarchy,  but  bestowed  upon  them,  also,  tem- 
poral jurisdiction  over  the  monarchy  in  the  one  and  the  other 
branch,  and  twofold  authority  that  by  themselves,  or,  by 
means  of  their  children,  the  Emperors  and  Kings,  when 
and  how  they  deemed  it  proper,  for  urgent  cause  they 
might  enlarge  the  aforesaid  temporal  jurisdiction  and 
empower  monarchy  to  act  and  put  its  mandates  into  execu- 
tion, so  soon  as  the  occasion  and  necessity  should  require  it, 
this  they  executed  using  the  entire  temporal  power,  of  the 
secular  arm  and  faculty,  as  much  by  themselves,  as  by 
armadas  and  armies  by  sea  and  land,  in  their  own  lands, 
and  in  the  lands  of  the  different  barbarous  nations,  with 
the  colors,  flags  and  the  Imperial  Standard  of  the  Cross, 
subjecting  the  barbarous  nations,  paving  the  way  for 
evangelical  preachers,  insuring  their  lives  and  persons, 
avenging  the  injuries  received  bv  those  who  have  al- 
ready been  received  into  the  fold,  and  refraining  the 
impetuous,  and  bestial,  barbarous  fierceness  of  the  above 
mentioned  barbarians;  and  in  the  name  of  the  Mighty  Christ 
God  who  commanded  that  his  gospel  be  preached  to  all  the 
world,  thus,  by  his  authority  extending  the  boundaries  of 
Christianity,  and  expanding  his  empire  by  the  aid  of  his  above 
mentioned  children,  the  emperors  and  kings,  among  whom 
the  King,  Don  Felipe,  our  lord,  king  of  Castile  and  of  Portu- 
gal, of  the  West  and  East  Indies,  discovered  and  to  be 
discovered,  by  the  medium  of  the  aforesaid  power,  jurisdic- 
tion and  monarchy,  apostolical  and  pontifical,  transfused, 
granted  and  sanctioned,  recommended  and  entrusted  to  the 
kings  of  Castile  and  Portugal  and  to  their  successors  since 
the  time  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  Alexander  VI,  by  divine 
and  singular  inspiration,  as  well  as  by  Christian  piety  teaches 


ILLUSTUATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  207 

it  to  be  infallibly  so,  for  God  never  deserts  liis  vicar,  who 
represents  his  person  in  grave  things  and  imparts  to  him 
experience  as  the  true  teacher  of  the  truth  as  time  has  shown; 
a  thing  which  testifies  with  infallible  certainty,  to  the  con- 
sent, permission  and  confirmation  of  the  aforesaid  empire 
and  dominion  of  tlie  East  and  West  Indies,  in  and  to  the 
kings  of  Castile  and  Portugal  and  to  their  successors,  trans- 
ferred and  lodged  upon  them  by  the  church  militant,  and  by 
the  other  sovereign  pontiffs,  successors,  of  the  said  most  holy 
pontiff  of  glorious  memory,  Alexander  VI,  to  the  present  day 
on  which  solid  basis  I  rest  to  take  the  aforesaid  possession  of 
these  kingdom  and  provinces,  in  the  aforesaid  name;  to  which 
are  fixed,  as  the  foundation  and  pillars  of  this  editirje  many 
other  grave  and  urgent  causes  and  reasons  that  move  and 
compel  me  to  it  and  give  me  sure  entry,  and  with  God's  help 
and  that  of  his  blessed  mother's  and  the  standard  of  the  holy 
cross,  through  the  medium  of  the  evangelical  preachers, 
childrenof  myseraphic  FatherSanFrancisco  I  willgive  surer, 
more  prosperous  and  happier  success;  and  the  first  and  not 
least  consideration  for  the  present  case  is  the  death  of  the 
preachersof  the  holy  gospel,truesonsof  San  Francisco,  Fray 
Juan  de  Santa  Maria,  Fray  Francisco  Lopez  and  Fray  Agustin 
Ruiz,  first  discoverersof  this  land,  after  that  great  Father  Fray 
Marcos  de  Niza,  for  all  gave  their  lives  and  blood  as  the  first 
fruits  of  the  holy  gospel  in  this  land,  these  martyrs  suffer- 
ing a  martj  rdom  death  which  they  did  not  deserve,  for  being 
once  well  received  by  these  Indians  and  admitted  into  their 
pueblos  and  homes,  the  said  religious  men  remaining  alone 
among  them  to  preach  to  them  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
better  to  understand  their  language,  confided  in  the  security 
inspired  by  the  good  treatment  which  they  gave  to  them,  and 
having  on  all  occasions  done  good  to  these  natives  during  all 
the  time  that  the  few  Spaniards,  who  were  with  them,  being 
only  eight,  stayed,  as  well  as  after  the  departure  of  the  said 
soldiers,  they  (the  Indians)  returned,  against  the  natural  law, 
evil  for  good,  and  inflicted  death  on  men  who  were  innocent 
like  them,  who  did  them  no  harm,  and  who  gave  them,  then 
what  they  could,  and  tried  to  give  them  the  life  by  means  of 
the  law  of  grace,  more  advantageously;  this  being  sufficient 
cause  and   reason,  if  there  should  be  no  other,  to  justify  my 


208  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

pretensions,  besides  which,  the  correction,  and  punishment 
of  the  sins  against  nature,  and  the  inhumanity  that  ex- 
ists among  these  bestial  nations  and  which  it  behooves  my 
king  and  prince,  as  so  powerful  a  lord  to  correct  and  repress, 
and  to  me,  in  his  royal  name,  in  the  present  case;  and,  with- 
out these,  the  pious  reason,  my  Christian  opinion  of  baptism, 
and  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  so-  many  children  as  live  and 
are  born  at  present  among  these  infidel  parents,  who  do  not 
recognize  nor  obey  their  true  God  and  most  principal  Father, 
and  cannot,  morally  speaking,  recognize  him  if  it  is  not 
through  this  means,  as  the  experience  in  all  these  lands  has 
demonstrated;  and  even  when  they  could  recognize  him,  by 
the  sacrament  of  baptism,  they  cannot  preserve  the  faith,  nor 
persevere  in  his  vocation  among  idolatrous  and  infidel  people, 
against  whom  this  work  must  be  done,  because  it  is  the  will 
of  God,  that  all  be  saved,  and  that  to  all  may  come  to  the  sound 
and  effect  of  his  word  and  passion,  and  God  must  be  obeyed, 
and  not  men,  although  they  be  judges,  or  fathers,  or  if  they 
have  kingdoms  and  cities,  for  a  single  soul  is  more  pre- 
cious than  all  the  world,  and  its  dominions,  riches  and  prop- 
erties; without  these,  there  ai-e  other  causes  on  which  I  lean 
to  effect  my  purpose,  as  well  as  the  temporal  good  (for  the 
spiritual  good  is  priceless),  which  these  barbarous  nations 
may  acquire  with  our  commerce  and  trade,  and  what  they 
may  gain  in  their  political  trade  and  the  government  of  their 
cities,  living  like  reasonable  beings,  in  policy  and  understand- 
ing, augmenting  their  occupations  and  mechanical  arts,  and 
increasing  in  new  live  stock,  breeds;  and  seeds,  vegetables 
and  provisions,  clothing  and  fruits,  and  selling  discreetly  and 
learn  the  economical  treatment  of  their  families,  houses  and 
persons,  clothing  the  naked,  and  those  who  are  already 
clothed,  improving  their  raiment;  and,  finally  leaving  out 
other  things,  to  be  governed  in  peace  and  justice,  secured  in 
their  homes  and  highways  and  defended  and  protected  from 
their  enemies  by  the  hand  and  the  expense  of  so  powerful  a 
king,  the  submission  to  whom  is  real  progress  and  liberty, 
and  of  having  in  him  their  own  father,  who,  at  his  cost,  and 
by  means  of  his  resources,  and  concessions  of  lands  so 
remote,  may  send  them  preachers  and  ministers,  justice  and 
protection  with   the  instructions  of  a  true  Father  of  peace, 


ILLUSTKATEl)    HISTOKY    OF    xNKW    MEXICO.  209 

concord,  security  and  love,  all  of  which  I  shall  fulfill  even  to 
the  loss  of  life;  and  I  command  and  will  always  command  the 
same  to  be  fulfilled  under  penalty.  And,  therefore,  resting 
on  the  solid  basis  aforesaid  I  take  the  aforesaid  possession, 
in  the  presence  of  the  most  Reverend  Father  Pray  Alonzo 
Martinez  of  the  order  of  our  lord  Saint  Francis,  Apostolic 
Commissary,  cum  plenitudine  potestafis,  of  this  journey  of  New 
Mexico  and  its  provinces;  and  of  the  most  reverend  fathers 
of  the  holy  gospel,  his  companions,  Fray  Francisco  de  San 
Miguel,  Fray  Francisco  de  Zamora,  Fray  Juan  de  Rosas, 
Fray  Alonzo  de  Lugo,  Fray  Andres  Corchado,  Fray  Juan 
Claros  and  Fray  Crist6bal  de  Salazar,  and  my  beloved 
fathers  and  brothers  Fray  Juan  de  San  Buenaventura, 
Fray  Pedro  de  Vergara;  lay  friars  and  religious  who  go 
on  this  journey  and  conversion;  and  of  my  Aide  de 
Camp,  General  Juan  de  Zaldivar  Oiiate  and  of  the 
officers  of  my  staff,  and  of  the  greater  part  of  the  Captains 
and  officers  of  the  camp,  and  persons  of  peace  and  war  of  it: 
I  say,  that  by  voice  and  in  the  name  of  the  most  Christian 
King,  Don  Felipe,  our  lord,  the  defender  and  protector  of 
our  holy  Mother,  the  Church,  and  his  true  son  and  for  the 
crown  of  Castile  and  kings  that  from  his  glorious  progeny 
reigned  therein  and  by  and  for  my  said  government,  I  take 
and  apprehend  once,  twice  and  three  times  and  all  that  I  can 
and  must  by  right  the  Royal  holding  and  possession  actual, 
civil  and  criminal,  in  this  said  Rio  del  Norte,  without  exempt- 
ing anything  and  without  any  limitation,  with  the  meadows, 
dales,  and  their  pasture  grounds,  and  passes.  And  this  said 
possession  I  take  and  apprehend,  in  voice  and  name,  of  the 
other  lands.  Pueblos,  Cities,  and  Villas,  solid  and  plane 
houses  that  are  now  founded  in  the  said  Kingdoms  and  Pro- 
vinces of  New  Mexico,  and  those  that  are  neighbors  and 
contiguous  to  it,  and  which  were  founded  before  in  them, 
with  the  mountains,  rivers,  river  banks,  waters,  pastures, 
meadows,  dales,  passes,  and  all  its  native  Indians  as  are 
included  and  comprised  in  them,  and  the  civil  and  criminal 
jurisdiction  high  and  low,  upper  and  lower  empire  from  the 
edge  of  the  mountains  to  the  stone  in  the  river  and  its  sands, 
and  from  the  stone  and  sands  in  the  river  to  the  leaf  of  the 
mountains.     And  I,  Juan  Perez  de  Donis,  clerk  of  his  Majesty 


210  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

and  post  secretary,  do  certify  and  give  faith  that  the  said 
lord  Governor,  Captain  General  and  Adelantado  of  the- said 
Kingdoms,  as  a  sign  of  true  and  peaceful  possession,  and 
continuing  the  acts  thereof  placed  and  nailed  with  his  own 
hands  on  a  certain  tree,  which  was  prepared  for  that  purpose, 
the  Holy  Cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  turning  to  it, 
with  his  knees  on  the  ground,  said: 

"Holy  Cross,  divine  gate  of  heaven,  altar  of  the  only  and 
essential  sacrifice  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
way  of  the  Saints,  and  possession  of  their  glory;  open  the 
gate  of  heaven  to  these  infidels;  found  the  Church  and  Altars 
where  the  Body  and  Blood  of  the  Son  of  God  may  be  offered; 
open  to  us  a  way  of  safety  and  peace  for  their  conversion 
and  our  conversion,  and  give  to  our  King,  and  to  me,  in  his 
Royal  name,  peaceful  possessionof  these  Reigns  and  Prov- 
inces for  his  holy  glory.  Amen. 

"And  immediately,  incontinenti,  he  fixed  and  set  in  the 
same  manner  with  his  own  hands  in  the  Royal  Standard  the 
Coat  of  Arms  of  the  most  Christian  King,  Don  Felipe,  our 
lord,  on  one  side  the  Imperial  Arms,  and  on  another  part, 
the  Royals;  and  at  the  time  this  was  being  done,  the  clarinet 
sounded,  and  the  arquebuses  were  discharged  with  the 
biggest  demonstration  of  gladness:  And  his  Lordship,  the 
said  lord  Governor,  Captain  General,  and  Adelantado  for  per- 
petual memorj^,  ordered  that  this  act  of  possession  be  signed 
and  sealed  with  the  high  seal  of  bis  office  and  was  so  signed 
and  under  written  with  his  name  and  sign,  and  was  to  be  kept 
among  the  papers  of  the  journey  and  Government,  and  that 
from  this  original  as  many  copies  be  taken  as  might  be 
wanted,  noting  the  fact  in  the  book  of  government,  and 
signed  with  bis  name,  the  witnesses  being  the  aforesaid 
most  Reverend  Father  Commissary  Fray  Alonzo  Martinez; 
Apostolic  Commissary,  Fray  Francisco  de  San  Miguel;  Fra^' 
Francisco  de  Zamora,  Fray  Juan  de  Rosas,  Fray  Alonzo  de 
Lugo,  Fray  Andres  Corchado,  Fray  Juan  Claros,  Fray  Crist6- 
bal  de  Salazar,  Fray  Juan  de  San  Buenaventura,  Fray  Pedro 
de  Vergara,  Don  Juan  de  Zaldivar  Onate,  my  aide  de  camp. 
General,  and  the  other  officials  of  my  staff",  captains  and  sol- 
diers of  the  army  aforesaid,  on  the  day  of  the  Ascension  of 
our  Lord,  the  30th  and  last  of  April  of  this  year  1598." 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  211 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  Fathers,  Colonists,  and 
soldiers  that  accompanied  Oilate:  Don  Crist6bal  de  Oilate, 
son  of  the  conqueror,  who,  in  spite  of  being  only  18  years  of 
age,  the  conqueror  had  appointed  him  as  lieutenant  Governor 
and  Captain  General;  Don  Juan  de  Zaldivar,  Aide  de  camp; 
Don  Vicente  Zaldivar,  brother  to  Don  Juan,  chief  sargent; 
Capt.  Villagrd,  solicitor  general;  Capt.  Bartolom^  Romeros, 
accountant;  Capt.  Zubia,  purveyor;  and  the  captains  Juan 
Velarde,  Juan  P«^rez  Donis,  secretaries,  the  other  officials  and 
soldiers  being  the  following:  Cap.  Pablo  Aguilar  Aranjo; 
Ascencion  de  Archuleta;  Ayarde,  Ensign;  Dionicio  Bar- 
ruelos;  Bartolo;  Juan  Benitez;  Divero;  Pedro  de  Ribera; 
Rason;  Pedro  de  los  Reyes;  Alfredo  Francisco  de  Posa  y 
Perialosa;  Juan  Ranjel;  Capt.  Alonzo  de  Quesada;  Cap. 
Juan  Gutierrez  de  Boca  Negra;  Capt.  Juan  Pinero;  Capt. 
Marcelo  de  Espinosa;  Capt.  Marcos  Parfdn  de  los  Godos; 
Capt.  Diego  Landin;  Capt.  Geronimo  Marquez;  Capt.  Diego 
Nuiiez;  Ensign,  Bernabe  de  las  Casas;  Ensign  Geronimo  de 
Herredia;  Ensign  Leon  Zapata.  The  colonists  and  soldiers 
are  the  following:  Aranjo;  Ascencion  de  Archuleta;  Ayarde; 
Bartolo;  Bibero;  Juan  Perez  de  Bustillo;  Cesar  Ortiz  Cadimo; 
Juan  Camacho;  Estevan  Carabajal;  Carrera;  Juan  de  Caso; 
Castillo;  Juan  Catalan  Cavanillos;  Cordero;  Marcos  Cortez; 
Pedro  Sdnchez  DaMiero;  Juan  Diaz;  Juan  Esarramal;  Juan 
Fernandez;  Manuel  Francisco;  Alvaro  Garcia;  Francisco 
Garcia;  Marcos  Garcia;  Simon  Garcia;  Luis  Gascon;  Barto- 
lome  Gonzales;  Juan  Gonzales;  Juan  Griego;  Guevara;  Fran- 
cisco Guillen;  Antonio  Gutierrez;  Antonio  Hernandez;  Gon- 
zalo  Hernandez:  Pedro  Hernandez;  Cristobal  de  Herrera;  Juan 
de  Herrera;  Alonzo  Nunez  de  Hinojosa;  Leon  de  Isasti; 
Jimenez,  Francisco deLedesma;  Domingo  deLizana;Cristoval 
Lopez;  Juan  Lopez;  Alonzo  Lucas;  Lucio;  Malea;  Francisco 
Marquez;  Hernan  Martin;  Juan  Martinez;  Juan  Medel; 
Medinal  Monroy;  Munuera;  Naranjo;  Juan  de  Olague;  Juan 
de. Ortega;  Ortiz;  Regundo  Paladin;  Simon  de  Paz;  Juan  de 
Pedraza;  Simon  Perez;  Juan  Ranjel;  Rascon;  Pedro  de  los 
Reyes;  Diego  Robledo;  Francisco  Robledo;  Pedro  Robledo: 
Pedro  Rodriguez;  Sebastian  Rodriguez;  Lorenzo  Salado;  Juan 
de  Salas;  Alonzo  Sanchez;  Antonio  Sariiiana;  Serrano;  Varela; 
Francisco  Vasquez:  Jorge  de  la  Vega;  Francisco  Vido;   Juan 


212  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

de  Victoria  Vido;  Villabba;  Villaviciosa  Zumaia.  The  names 
of  the  priests  that  came  with  the  expedition,  besides  Fray 
Alonzo  Martinez,  commissary,  and  Father  Marques,  as  well 
as  of  those  who  came  sometime  after,  are  the  following:  Fray 
Francisco  Zamora,  Fray  Juan  Rosas,  Fray  Alonzo  Lugo,  Fray 
Francisco  de  San  Miguel,  Fray  Andres  Corchado,  Fray  Juan 
de  San  Buenaventura,  Fray  Pedro  Vergara,  Fray  Cristobal 
Salazar,  who  was  a  relative  to  Onate,  Fray  Juan  Claros,  and 
the  lay  brothers,  Martin,  Francisco  and  Juan  de  Dios.  Those 
are  allthepriests,  who, according  to  Villagra,(ante), came  with 
Onate,  or  little  after  his  arrival  into  New  Mexico.  According 
to  Father  Fray  Francisco  Frejes,  Onate  must  have  brought  59 
missionar}"  priests,  but  Frejes  and  Barreiro  who  assert  the 
same  thing  are  surely  in  error,  because,  as  we  have  already 
read  in  Villagra  and  Torquemada,  the  priests  who  came  with 
Ofiate  were  not  so  many;  had  they  been  otherwise,  Villagra 
and  Torquemada  would  have  given  us  the  names. 

Pueblo  of  San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros.     Origin  of  Its  Name. 

The  opportunity  presents  itself  here  of  correcting  one  of 
the  errors  most  common  among  almost  all  the  English  speak- 
ing historians,  viz:  That  the  Indian  Pueblo,  known  by  the 
name  of  "San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros,"  received  that  name  in 
1680,  when  Otermin  and  the  rest  of  the  Spaniards  were 
expelled  from  New  Mexico;  and  that  on  that  occasion  San 
Juan  was  given  the  name  of  "de  los  Caballeros,'"  because  it 
was  the  only  pueblo  that  remained  faithful  to  the  king.  That 
is  a  grave  error.  Besides  the  Pueblo  of  San  Juan  there  was 
another  pueblo  that  of  Pecos,  (Cicuye),  which  also  proved  its 
loyalty  by  not  taking  part  in  the  rebellion.  Now,  so  far  as 
the  suffixed  addition  of  "de  los  Caballeros,"  that  is  another 
grave  error.  It  was  Oiiate  who  gave  that  pueblo  the  name  of 
"San  Juan  de  los  Caballoros."  When  the  ceremony  of  taking 
possession  which  we  have  just  noted  was  over,  Oflate  on 
the  next  day  passed  over  to  the  bank*  on  the  left  side  of  the 
Rio  Grande  continuing  his  march,  and  after  many  difficult 
journeys  and  untold  sufferings,  came  on  to  the  province  of  the 

*  See  Villagra's  "Hist,  de  la  Nuevo  M^jico." 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  213 

Piro  Indians  and  visited  many  of  the  other  pueblos  along  the 
Rio  Grande  stopping  in  the  Pueblo  of  Puaray  for  several  days. 
In  this  Pueblo  of  Puaray  he  found  painted  on  the  wall  a  pic- 
ture, which  had  been  drawn  by  the  Indians,  partially  covered 
with  white  wash,  representing  the  torture  suffered  by  Agus- 
tin  Rodriguez  and  Fathers  Lopez  and  Santa  Maria  and  two 
Indians  of  those  who  had  come  with  Castaflo  de  Sosa  named 
Cristobal  and  Tomas,  respectively,  entered  said  pueblo,  to 
which  he  gave  the  name  of  "San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros." 
Villagrd  in  his  "Canto  16"  gives  us  the  authority  for  the  state- 
ment.   Villagra  says: 

There  is  not  in  the  world  a  pleasure  so 
Delightful  as  to  be  compared  with  that 
Which  tills  the  bosom  of  a  crew  whose  fleet, 
Though  comV)ated  and  harassed  by  the  wrath 
Of  raging-  winds,  at  last  does  reach  secure 
And  blessful  anchorage  in  the  calmness  of 
A  iiarV)or  that's  well  known.     Our  luck  was  not 
Unlike:  for  at  the  end  of  all  our  toils, 
And  labors  with  alternate  weal  and  woe  , 
We  were  at  length  approaching  full  of  joy 
A  graceful  pueblo  beautifully  laid 
Out,  and  to  which  the  name  was  given  of 
"San  Juan,"  by  many  "de  los  Caballe — 
Ros,"  to  recall  the  mem'ry  of  those  who 
First  hoisted  high,  in  these  new  lands 
And  regions  vast,  the  l)loody  Ensignon 
Which  Christ  was,  for  the  weal  of  all 
Mankind,  upraised." 

The  day  following  the  entry  of  Onate  at  the  Pueblo  of  San 
Juan  was  a  day  of  fright  for  Onate  and  his  men.  Early  in 
the  morning  all  the  Indians  came  out  of  their  homes,  weeping 
loud.  They  wept  because  they  believed  their  crops  were  lost 
on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  water.  The  Spaniards  were 
astonished  at  the  piteous  lamentations  of  the  Indians. 
When  informed  of  the  reasons  of  such  despair  among  the 
Indians  they  were  able  to  tranquilize  them  by  assuring  them 
that  the  priests  would  pray  to  Heaven  that  the  rains  might 
come:  as  the  priests,  indeed,  did.  There  came  the  next 
day  such  an  abundant  rain  that  the  Indians  were  really 
astounded  and  so  much  so,  that  they  looked  upon  the  priests 


214  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

as  meu  descended  from   the  clouds.     The  account  of  that 
memorable  event,  given  by  Villagrd  read  as  follows: 

"The  General  being-  at  his  meal  one  day, 

The  savages  raised  such  a  frightful  wail 

That  we  all  thought  the  day  had  come  when  we 

Should  all  be  called  before  the  judgement  seat 

Of  God  to  give  our  last  tremendous  account 

Upon  the  universal  ending  of 

The  world.     Wherefore  we,  altered  and  confused, 

Asked  them  the  cause  of  such  unusual  wail. 

They  answered  that  their  people  cried  for  rain. 

That  a  long  time  had  passed  already  and 

The  clouds  had  ne'er  again  refreshed  the  earth 

With  water,  and  that  everywhere  the  ground 

Through  drought  was  bursting  open  and  was  so 

Killed  by  the  pang  of  thirst  that  not  a  hope 

Remained  that  any  plants  would  yield  a  crop. 

The  commissary,  then,  and  Father  Fray 

CIristobal  trusting  in  that  Sovereign  Good 

In  whom  and  whence  we  have  both  life  and  all 

We  need,  commanded  that  it  should  be  said 

To  them  to  cease  their  wailing:  for  they  would 

At  once  be  offering  their  prayers  to 

The  God  of  Heaven  that  he  take  a  look 

Of  pity  on  the  land;  and  hoped  that  He, 

(Though  they  were  disobedient  children)  would 

Send  down  abundant  rains,  and  that  these  would 

In  such  a  manner,  come  as  to  cause  their 

Plants  to  revive  and  yield  abundant  crops. 

And  just  as  when  the  children  hush 

Because  one  gives  them  of  the  things  for  which 

They  ask,  and  cry,  and  are  afflicted:     So, 

Too,  they  did  hush  remaining  quiet,  yet 

With  anxious  hope  awaiting  sure  the  rain 

For  which  they  cried  so  much  in  their  distress. 

And  scarcely  had,  next  day,  the  hour  arrived 

In  which  their  wail  had  burst;  when  lol  the  sky 

With  clouds  o'ercast  poured  forth  such  torrents, pf 

Refreshing  rain,  that  the  barbarians. 

With  awe  o'erpowered  stood  in  mute  gratitude 

Admiring  God's  unbounded  Mercy." 

Bonilla's  Expedition  Is  Verified. 
Concerning  the  Expedition  of  Bonilla  and  Humaila  (of  which 
we  gave  an  account  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  first  book  of 
this  work)  we  will  now  give  the  information  which  the  Indian 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  215 

Jusepe  gave  to  Oilate;  at  the  same  time  we  shall  give  the 
account  of  the  description  which  said  Indian  made  of  La 
Quiviraand  its  riches  whereby  he  awakened  inOflate's  heart 
the  desire  to  pass  to  that  much  talked  of  land.  According 
to  Villagrd,  Jesupe  said: 

Tpon  the  heels  of  this  success  there  came 

An  Indian  whose  baptismal  name,  he  said, 

Jusepe  was:  and  that  he  came  in  flight 

From  where  the  peojile  were  who  had  come  with 

Bonilla.  contrabands,  without  due  leave. 

He  gave  the  news  that  there  Humana  had 

Left  him  already  dead,  cut  with  a  knife, 

Because  of  mutual  enmities  they  had, 

And  that  this  g-overnor,  as  General 

Remained  of  all  those  men:  that  he  left  him 

Upon  the  marg-in  of  a  stream  so  wide 

And  copious  that  it  had  a  league  in  full, 

And  that  its  distance  was  six  hundred  miles 

From  our  new  camp  and  settlement:  besides 

He  said,  that,  goaded  by  th"  inviting  news 

He  had  of  many  towns  abounding  in  great  sums 

Of  gold,  was  penetrating  deep  into 

The  land,  and  that  he  hoped  to  cross  in  floats 

The  stream  because  he  deemed  the  country  well 

Peopled,  as  showed  the  many  smokes 

We  could  discover  from  this  side  and  see: 

He  also  told  us  that  they  had  passed  through 

A  pueblo  which  was  so  surpassing  big 

That  they  employed  one  and  one  half  a  day 

To  get  across  its  length  from  end  to  end. 


This  is  the  pii-tmv  of  tlie  Uoyal  Pantheon  "Escorml"  situated  30  miles  from  Madrid,  Spain,  where 
•nearly  all  the  bodies  of  the  Spanish  Monarchs  are  entombed.— The  first  casket  on  the  left  side  eon- 
tains  the  remains  of  Philip  II,  under  whose  authority  Onate  conquered  New  Mexico,  15SW-». 
The  first  casket  on  the  right  side  contains  the  remains  of  Charles  1 1  under  whose  authority  and 
protection  T)e  Vargas  was  enabled  to  eflfect  the  second  and  permanent  conquest  of  Xew  Mexico, 
>f.:t2-:t.  This  photograph  was  like  that  of  the  tomb  of  the  Catholic  Kings,  procured  lately  for  me  in 
Madrid  by  the  same  gentleman,  Mr.  Pablo  M.  Hernjlnde/..— Thk  Acthok. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Various  Voyages  of  Oiiate — The  First  Colony  Is  Founded  With  the 
Name  of  "San  Francisco" — The  Colonists  Prepare  to  Cultivate 
the  Cround— Meeting  in  the  Colony  Some  Colonists  Take  to 
Flight  Villagra  Imprisons  Them  and  Chastises  Two  of  Them  With 
the  Penalty  of  Death  by  Strangulation  —  Onate  Has  Intents  of  Dis- 
covering the  Culf  of  California — Rebellion  of  the  Acomas — Villagra 
is  Sent  to  Mexico — Dissensions  and  Complaints  of  the  Priests — 
Other  Incidents. 

First  Colony  Discussed,  1598-1599. 
Before  entering  into  the  full  accounts  proper  to  this  chap- 
ter, it  is  necessary  to  remind  the  reader  that  almost,  with- 
out exception,  all  the  English  speaking  historians— Bancroft 
excepted — who  have  written  on  the  history  of  New  Mexico, 
(including  Mr.  U.  E.  Twitcheil,  who  published  his  "Leading 
Facts  of  New  Mexican  History"  in  the  year  of  1911,  or  some 
few  months  prior  to  the  publication  of  this  work  in  the  English 
language)  affirm  that  Ofiate  founded  his  first  colony  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Rio  Grande.  They  are,  all,  in  error,  espe- 
cially Mr.  Twitcheil,  who  goes  so  far  as  to  say  (Lead.  Facts 
of  New  Mex.  Hist.,  vol.  1,  p.  316)  that  "Bancroft  is  in  great 
error  as  to  the  exact  location  of  the  capital  (which  was  the 
tirst  colony)  first  established  by  Onate,  when  he  says  that  it 
was  at  San  Juande  los  Caballeros.  He  is  also  mistaken  as 
to  the  place  where  the  chapel  of  San  Gabriel  was  located. 
He  would  have  them  both  on  the  left  (the  east)  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  while  as  a  matter  of  fact  they  were  on  the  right 
(west  side)  bank,  and  north  of  the  confluence  of  the  Chama 
with  the  Rio  Grande.'*     As  already  stated  (ante)  it  is  evident 

*T\viteheirs  translation  (Lead.  Facts  of  New  Mex.  Hist.,  vol.  1, 
p.  315)  has  it  that  because  the  "'inhabitants  of  San  Juan  received  the 
Spaniards  with  great  courtesy,  and  thereafter  the  pueblo  was  known 
as  that  of  San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros"  the  name  of  "los  Caballeros" 
was  given  to  the  pueblo  by  Onate.  The  conrtiet,  then,  between  Mr. 
Twitchell's  translation  and  Villagra's  report  is,  undoubtedly,  due  to 
one  of  two  causes,  i.  e.:  that  the  translator  never  saw  Villagra's  work 
or  that  he  did  not  understand  Villagni's  Spanish.— Thk  Author. 


218  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

that  Mr.  Twitchell's  translator  never  saw  Villagrd's  history 
of  New  Mexico,  in  fact,  I  believe  that  he  rehed,  entirely,  on 
Torquemada's  works  (cited  by  Mr.  Twitchell  as  a  note  on 
page  316,  of  his  1  vol.,  supra).  Torquemada  states  in  vol.  1 
of  his '^31onar quia  Indianorurii'' dX  p.  672,  vol.  1,  that  Onate 
"made  bis  settlement  at  a  place  named  San  Gabriel,  which  is 
located  in  thirty-seven  degrees  of  latitude  north,  and  is  situ- 
ated between  two  rivers,  the  smallest  of  which  is  used  to 
irrigate  the  wheat,  corn  and  barley  fields.  The  other  and 
larger  river,  which  is  called  del  Norte,  abounds  in  fish  of 
large  size  and  good."  This  last  authority  left  to  itself  would 
seem  to  justify  Twitchell's  assertions  that  Bancroft  was 
wrong.  Yet,  when  compared  with  what  Villagra,  who  was 
not  only  one  of  the  conquerors  but  one  of  the  colonists  as 
well,  states,  it  will  be  readily  seen  that  Bancroft  was  right, 
and  even  Torquemada  can  be  taken  as  being  correct  for 
really  the  said  first  colony  was  founded  between  two  rivers, 
but  one  of  these  rivers  was  not  the  Chama,  as  asserted  by 
Mr.  Twitchell,  but  it  was  no  other  than  the  Santa  Cruz  river, 
which  empties  from  the  east  into  the  Rio  Grande,  some  four 
or  five  miles  south  of  the  pueblo  of  San  Juan  de  los 
Caballeros.  Bancroft  relied  on  the  authority  of  the  famous 
historians  Escalante  and  Salmeron,  Torquemada,  who 
wrote  his  works  eleven  years  after  the  founding  of  the  said 
first  colony,  relied  on  the  information  of  others,  for  although 
a  Franciscan  himself,  he  was  not  one  of  the  number  of  colon- 
ists, and  I  rely,  wholly  and  absolutely,  on  the  very  best  of 
authority,  an  eye  witness  and  a  colonist,  on  Villagra's  own 
word,  as  it  will  be  seen  further  on. 

Founding  of  First  Colony — Missions  are  Established. 

We  will  now  show  how  we  know  that  the  said  first  colony 
was  founded  on  the  east  side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  south  of 
the  pueblo  of  San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros.  For  various  weeks 
Oflate  remained  at  the  place  where  he  had  camped  near  the 
said  pueblo  of  San  Juan  in  consultation  with  his  captains^ 
and  the  priests,  regarding  the  place  most  convenient  for  the 
foundation  of  the  colony.  After  many  and  very  heated  dis- 
cussions, Oflate  made  up  his  mind  to  invite  the  Indian  Gover- 
nors of  all  the  pueblos  with  the  view  of  demanding  from 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  219 

them  solemn  submission  and  obedience  to  the  crown  of  Spain, 
This  he  accomplished  without  the  slightest  resistance;  the 
chiefs  from  all  the  neighboring  pueblos  were  gathered  and, 
after  a  paternal  peroration  from  Ofiate  they  swore  allegiance 
and  obedience  to  the  crown  and  asked  to  be  instructed  in  the 
Christian  faith.*  Whereupon  Ofiate  assigned  priests  to  the 
different  pueblos  as  follows :  Father  Miguel  to  the  Pecos  pro- 
vince. Father  Zamora  to  the  province  of  the  Queres.  Father 
Lugo  to  the  province  of  the  Jemes.  Father  Corchado  to- 
the  province  of  Zia.  Father  Claros  to  the  province  of  the 
Teguas  and  to  Father  Crist6val  "the  province  of  those  noble 
Teguas  where  the  encampment  was." 

The  reader  will  thus  understand  that  the  first  colony  could 
not  have  been  founded  on  the  west  side  of  the  Rio  Grande 
without  Villagra  making  mention  of  the  recrossing  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  also  because  Villagrd  clearly  states  that  the 
assignment  of  priests  was  made  at  San  Juan  de  los  Caba- 
lleros,  where  the  encampment  was,  and  that  to  the  last  of  the 

*    "A  lo  cual  todos  replicaron, 

Que  quisiesen  primero  doctrinarlos, 

En  aquello  que  asi  les  proponian, 

De  aquel  hombre  mortal  pasible  y  muerto, 

Y  que  si  bien  a  todos  estubiesse, 
Dejarsu  ley,  por  recibir  aquella, 
Que  alii  les  ensenaban  y  mostravan, 
Que  todos  con  gran  gusto  lo  harian, 

Y  que  si  viesen  no  les  conbenia, 

Que  no  mandasen  que  eilos  recibiesen, 
Cosa  que  no  entendiesen  ni  alcanzacen. 
Con  cuia  puerta  luego  el  C'omisario, 
Sembro  sus  religiosos  como  Christo, 
Sembro  el  Apostolado  por  Provincias 

Y  asi  d  San  Miguel  luego  le  dieron, 
La  Provincia  de  Pecos,  y  a  Zamora, 

La  Provincia  de  Queres,  y  al  gran  Lugo, 
La  Provincia  de  Em^s,  y  a  Corchado, 
La  Provincia  de  Zia,  y  al  buen  Claros, 
La  Provincia  de  Tiquas,  y  con  esto, 
Dieron  a  Fray  Cristoval  la  Provincia, 
De  aquellos  nobles  Teguas  donde  el  campo, 
Quiso  hazer  asiento,  y  alii  juntos, 
Los  soldados  a  una  hicieron  fiestas." 

Villagra's  Hist,  de  la  Nuevo  Mexico.     Canto  17.  p.  9(i. 


"220  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.' 

priests  so  assigned,  Fr.  Cristobal  was  given  the  province 
of  "those  noble  Teguas  vs'here  the  encampment  was   made." 

Now,asafurther  proof  that  Bancroft  is  right  and  Twitchell 
wrong,  we  will  show  that  the  San  Gabriel  chapel  was  located 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  as  Bancroft  affirms,  and 
not  on  the  west  side  of  said  river  as  claimed  by  Twitchell.  As 
heretofore  stated,  [  ignored  entirely  all  the  authorities  cited 
by  all  known  authors  on  New  Mexico  history  and  take  my 
information  from  the  fountain  itself,  which,  in  this  instance 
is  Villagra.  No  mention  is  made  by  Villagra  of  any  chapel 
other  than  the  one  tirst  built  in  the  colony  for  the  Indians  of 
San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros.  It  stands  to  reason  that  said 
chapel  would  not  have  been  built  across  the  Rio  Grande  some 
three  or  four  miles  from  said  pueblo  and  with  the  Rio  Grande 
between  said  pueblo  and  the  chapel;  no,  it  would  have  been 
the  height  of  folly.  The  chapel  was  built  by  the  Royal  Ensign, 
Pefialoza,  under  the  direction  of  the  Father  Comisario  (Supe- 
rior), as  stated  by  Villagrd:  "And  as  the  Royal  Ensign,  Pena- 
loza,  came  willingly  with  all  his  people,  for  the  pueblo  of  San 
Juan,  the  Religious  immediately  built  aj  chapel,  which  was 
blessed  by  Father  Comisario,  who,  with  great  joy  baptized  a 
great  number  of  children."  * 

We  shall  now  present  to  the  reader  the  strongest  and  most 
positive  proof  in  support  of  our  contention;  that  the  first 
settlement,  San  Gabriel,  which  was  the  first  capital  of  New 
Mexico,  was  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and 
close  to  the  pueblo  of  San  Juan.  The  testimony  we  now 
offer  is  none  other  that  of  Onate's  own  word.  In  the  year  of 
1599,  and  on  the  11th  day  of  January  of  that  year,  Oiiate 
appointed,  named  and  designated  Captain  Villagrdas  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Council  of  War  ("vocal  del  Consejo  de  Guerra"). 
The  official  appointment  concludes  thus:  "Given  and  sealed 
with  my  official  seal  in  this  Pueblo  of  San  Juan  Bautista,  the 

*  "Y  como  el  Heal  Alferez  Pefialoza. 
Lleg'o  con  todo  el  campo  sin  disjjusto, 
Al  pueblo  de  San  Juan  los  Reli^iosos, 
Hizieron  luejjfo  I^'lesia  y  la  bendijo, 
El  Padre  Comisario,  y  baptizaron, 
Mucha  suraa  de  ninos  con  gran  fiesta.'"— 

Villagra's  Hist,  de  la  Nueva  Mexico."  Canto  Iti.  p.  90. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  221 

eleventh  day  of  the  month  of  January  of  one  thousand  and 
five  hundred  and  ninety-nine  years. — Don  Juan  de  Ofiate — 
By  order  of  the  Seilor  Gobernado— /A>».  Juan  Gutierre'^  Baca- 
negra.  * 

Ofiate  now  made  up  his  mind  to  make  himself,  personally, 
a  voyage  throughout  all  the  pueblos  with  the  object  of  select- 
ing the  choicest  place  to  found  "the  city."  Oiiate,  therefore, 
started  out  on  the  13th  of  July,  (1599),  towards  the  Pueblo  of 
Picuris  (which  the  Spaniards  named  San  Buena  Ventura) 
accompanied  by  several  soldiers,  visiting  the  Pueblos  of 
Picuris  and  Taos,  and  returning  on  the  19th  of  the  same 
month  to  San  Juan,  whence  he  continued  his  voyage,  the  next 
day,  to  the  south.  He  visited  the  Pueblos  of  San  Ildefonso, 
Pecos,  Galisteo,  Santo  Domingo,  Cia  and  Jemez,  discovering 
near  thislast pueblo, the  nowfaraous  sulphur  and  hotsprings. 
None  of  the  places  he  visited  seemed  adequate  to  him  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  the  first  town.  He  returned  to  San 
Juan  reaching  the  encampment  on  the  10th  of  August. 

When  the  priests  and  the  rest  of  the  people  had  heard  the 
account  given  by  Onate,  it  was  determined  by  unanimous  vote 
that  the  foundation  of  the  "city"  should  be  made  upon  the 
site  where  the  colonists  and  the  army  were  encamped,  as 
already  stated.  The  obstacles,  which  for  so  long  a  time  bad 
caused  the  delay,  being  now  removed,  the  construction  of  a 
great  ditch  was  commenced  on  August  11th,  1599,  for  the  con- 
duct of  the  water  necessary  in  the  works  of  manufacture  and 
domestic  use.  As  to  whether  or  not,  a  city  or  simply  a  village 
was  built,  nothing  is  said  to  us  by  either  Villagrd  or  Onate.  It 
is  certain,  according  to  Villagra,  that  besides  a  church,  sev- 
eral dwelling  houses,  and  corrals  were  built,  and  that  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  the  colonists  to  enter  upon  the  cultivation 
of  the  land,  the  year  following.  It  is  equally  certain  that  only 
a  portion  of  said  village  remained  standing  for  a  very  short 
time  after  it  had  been  founded,  but  it  is  not  known,  whether 
on  account  of  dissensions  among  the  Spaniards,  or  for  other 

*  -"Dada  y  sellada  con  el  sello  de  mi  oficio  en  el  Pueblo  de  San 
Juan  Bautista,  a  once  dias  del  mes  de  Enero  de  mil  y  quinientos  y 
noventa  y  nueve  afios."— "Don  Juan  de  Ofiate"— "Por  mandado  del 
Sefior  Gobernador'"— Juan  Gutierrez  Bocanegra."— Villagra,  Hist.. 
de  la  Nueva  Me.xico,  (Page  27,  Ap.  1st.) 


222  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

reasons,  many  of  the  colonists  dispersed,  peopling  different 
places  in  the  immediate  surroundings  of  San  Juan.  It  is. also 
known  that  the  Spaniards  called  said  village  "San  Gabriel" 
and  also  "San  Francisco.'"  These  facts  are  conclusively  shown 
by  Villagra. 

Great  discontent  reigned  now  among  the  colonists  and 
soldiers  occasioned  by  the  scarcity  of  victuals  and  the  neglect 
with  which  Ofiate  was  treating  his  people,  as  will  be  seen 
before  this  chapter  closes;  the  displeasure  culminating  in  a 
mutiny  in  which  the  leader  of  the  seditious  faction  was  Cap- 
tain Aguilar.  It  was  not  possible,  however,  for  Aguilar 
and  the  forty-five  soldiers  who  followed  him,  to  diffuse 
among  the  rest  of  the  soldiers,  the  odium  which  they 
had  conceived  against  Ofiate.  Oiiate  would  have  punished 
them  very  severely,  had  not  Aguilar  and  his  turbulent  fac- 
tion implored  his  pardon  on  their  knees  and  with  tears  in 
their  eyes.  Four  out  of  the  forty  five  who  had  helped  to 
promote  the  mutiny  deserted,  taking  with  them,  by  theft, 
several  horses,  but  Ofiate  sent  in  pursuit  of  them.  Captains 
Villagra  and  Mdrquez  with  an  escort  of  soldiers;  the  fugi- 
tives were  overtaken  near  Santa  Barbara,  but  Villagra  re- 
-covered  only  the  horses  and  captured  two  of  the  deserters 
who  were  punished,  by  Villagrd  with  the  penalty  of 
the  gallows,  or  by  taking  their  lives  as  he  did,  by  means  of 
strangulation.  As  Villagra  was  so  close  to  Santa  Barbara, 
he  did  not  want  to  return  to  New  Mexico  without  first  visit- 
ing that  point.  He  did  so,  and  sent  thence  to  the  Viceroy  an 
account  of  all  that  had  happened,  This  occurred  towards 
the  beginning  of  September  1^9^.  Villagra  and  his  com- 
panions returned  to  New  Mexico  at  about  the  middle  part  of 
November  of  the  same  year. 

Onate's  Western  Trip — Mines  are  Found  Again. 

Whilst  Villagrd  was  in  pursuit  of  the  deserters,  Ofiate 
made  a  trip  to  the  West,  accompanied  by  Father  Martinez, 
•Commisary  (Superior)  of  the  Franciscan  Friars  who  had  come 
with  him.  During  the  trip  Ofiate  visited  all  the  pueblos 
of  the  provinces  of  Tiguex,  Jemes,  Acoma,  Zufii,  and  Moqui, 
-and  received  the  formal  submission  of  all  the  pueblos  in  said 
provinces.     From    Moqui   he  sent  Captains  Farfan  and  Que- 


ILLUSTRATE^D   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  223 

sada  on  a  journey  of  exploration  and  in  search  of  mines. 
They  found  very  rich  mines  some  ninety  miles  (80  leguas)  to 
the  west'of  Moqui,  discovering  at  the  same  time,  tracks  and 
indicationsof  former  explorers  who  were  doubtlessly,  Espejo 
and  his  companions,  as  the  reader  will  recall  Espejo's  voyage 
in  the  tirst  book  of  this  work. 

Anxious  for  the  discovery  of  the  South  Sea  (the  Gulf  of 
California)  Oilate  now  determined  to  pursue  his  voyage  until 
he  would  reach  the  Colorado  River,  and  to  follow  the  course 
of  the  river  to  its  mouth  in  the  South  Sea,  and,  as  he  was 
familiar  with  the  direction  and  road  which  he  should  follow, 
both  from  what  he  knew  of  the  expeditions  of  his  predecessors 
and  from  the  new  information  he  received  from  the  Indians 
of  Moqui  and  Zuni,  he  did  not  hesitate  in  making  up  his 
mind.  Moroever,  he  determined  llrst  to  leave  everything  in 
perfect  order  at  San  Gabriel,  as  well  as  orders  for  Villagrd, 
and  Vicente  Zalidvar,  whom  he  had  sent  on  an  exploring 
tour  to  the  plains  in  the  direction  of  Quivira. 

From  the  measures  taken  by  Oiiate  it  can  be  conjectured) 
that  he  expected  the  revolt  wiiich,  on  account  of  his  bad 
conduct  and  carelessness  towards  the  colonists  and  their 
families,  had  been  secretly  brewing  in  the  colony.  He  had 
appointed  Don  Juan  Zaidivar,  Governor  and  Commandant 
during  his  absence  of  the  colony  and  of  the  soldiers  who  had 
remained  at  San  Gabriel.  He  now  sent  orders  to  Don  Juan 
Zaidivar  to  deliver  the  command  to  Vicente  Zaidivar  imme- 
diately after  the  return  of  the  latter  to  San  Grabiel,  and  that 
he,  Don  Juan  Zaidivar,  accompanied  by  thirty  soldiers  should 
set  out  for  Zuni,  where  Ofiate  would  wait  for  him.  Discord 
in  the  colony  had  at  this  date  grown  to  such  extreme,  that  it 
was  not  possible  for  Don  Juan  to  comply  promptly  with  the 
orders  of  his  general.  Hunger  had,  to  a  great  extent, 
decimated  the  number  of  the  colonists.  The  want  of  corn 
and  wheat  was  pi'oducing  desolation,  not  only  among  the 
Spaniards,  but  also  among  the  Indians,  who  were  now  sub- 
sisting on  herbs  of  the  field,  as  the  Franciscan  Fathers 
declared  it.  According  to  Father  Escalona  (post),  the  very 
sad  situation  of  the  colonists,  their  families,  and  the  Indians 
was  due  to  two  causes:  (1)  The  negligence  of  Oilate  in 
seeking  means  for  obtaining  the  resources  necessary  for  the 


224  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

maintenance  of  the  people  and  Indians.  (2)  To  the  quenchless 
thirst  after  riches  which  had  taken  possession  of  him  .and 
his  captains  to  such  degree  that  they  did  not  attend  to  any 
other  business,  but  that  of  exploring  unknown  regions  in 
search  of  gold,  gold  and  more  gold,  leaving  the  priests  and  the 
rest  of  the  people  exposed  to  die  of  hunger  or  to  be  murdered 
by  the  Indians.  The  terrible  drought  that  had  prevailed 
that  summer  having  caused  the  complete  ruin  of  the  crops 
and  starvation  was  domg  its  dreadful  work. 

Autum  was  already  far  advanced  when  Villagra  and 
Marguez,  returned  to  San  Gabriel  from  Santa  Barbara.  As 
soon  as  Villagra  learned  that  Onate  was  to  be  found  at  Zuni 
making  preparations  for  his  voyage  to  the  South  Sea,  he  set 
out  on  his  march  with  his  horse  and  dog  as  his  only  compa- 
nions. Before  getting  to  Zuni  he  suifered  a  good  deal 
through  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  and  for  want  of  food, 
so  much  so  that  according  to  his  own  statement  he  was  obhged 
to  kill  his  faithful  companion,  the  dog,  for  the  purpose  of 
satiating  his  hunger,  a  thing,  however,  he  could  not  do  for 
lack  of  fire  to  cook  the  meat,  and  he  might  have  perished  by 
hunger  and  cold,  had  not  three  soldiers  whom  Oilate  had  sent 
in  search  of  horses  met  him. 


Don  Juan  Zaldivar  Goes  Out  to  Reinforce    Onate-    His  Tragic   Fate  — 
Battle  of  Zuni. 

We  have  seen  Oiiate  at  Zuiii  preparing  for  his  voyage  to 
the  South  Sea;  Vicente  Zaldivar  absent  from  the  Colony  in 
an  exploring  tour  on  the  plain;  and  Villagrd  and  Marquez 
returning  to  San  Gabriel.  Now  we  shall  relate  the  treason 
of  which  the  Indians  of  Acoma  availed  themselves  in  order 
to  assassinate  Don  Juan  Zaldivar  and  those  who  went  with 
him  to  the  pueblo;  and  the  terrible  vengeance  taken  by  the 
Spaniards.  We  will  explain  the  treason  of  the  Acomas,  the 
battle  fought  to  revenge  Zaldivar's  death,  and  the  surrender 
of  the  Pueblo  of  Acoma  as  it  occurred.  Here  it  is:  As  Don  Juan 
Zaldivar  was  not  able  to  transfer  his  command  to  his  brother 
Vicente  with  the  haste  which  the  order  of  Oilate  demanded 
he  had  to  wait  till  the  18th  of  November  in  order  to  appease 
the  malcontents. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  225 

On  that  day  he  dehvered  the  command  to  his  brother,  Don 
Vicente  Zaldivar,  and  set  out  with  30  soldiers  to  reinforce 
Oilate. 

Death  of  Captain  Juan  Zaldivar. 

Don  Juan  Zaldivar  took  a  notion  to  visit  the  Acoma  Indians 
who  had  ardently  requested  him  to  do  so  giving  him  the 
impression  that  they  were  going  to  furnish  him  with  as  many 
provisions  as  he  desired  to  take  for  his  journey.  Don  Juan 
did  not  suspect  the  treason  of  which  he  was  going  to  be  the 
victim.  He  acceded  willingly  to  the  requests  of  the  Indians, 
entering  the  pueblo  on  the  4th  of  December,  accompanied  by 
six  soldiers,  and  leaving  the  others  encamped  at  the  foot  of 
the  rock.  Don  Juan  seeing  the  cordiality  of  which  they  were 
the  object,  was  careless  in  taking  the  necessary  precautions 
to  protect  himself.  The  Indians  employed  friendly  tactics  to 
separate  the  Spaniards,  and,  once  they  had  succeeded, 
they  rushed  upon  them  with  such  ferocity  and  in 
such  large  numbers  that,  despite  the  extraordinary  bravery 
and  almost  superhuman  valor  of  Zaldivar  and  his  com- 
panions, after  three  hours  of  a  deadly  struggle,  fought 
hand  to  hand  with  the  savages,  all  the  Spaniards  perished, 
the  last  being  Don  Juan  Zaldivar  w^ho  fell  dead  at  the  mortal 
blow  of  a  club  in  the  hands  of  the  Indian  Zutecapan.  At  the 
entrance  of  the  pueblo  three  Spaniards  had  remained.  The 
three  Spaniards  mentioned  succeeded  in  escaping  after  a 
precipitate  flight,  and  in  communicating  to  their  comrades 
below  what  had  happened.  Without  loss  of  time  the  com- 
mander of  the  soldiers  sent  a  courier  to  Oilate  and  another  to 
the  colony.  It  is  not  difficult  to  imagine  the  anguish  felt  by 
the  Spaniards  on  learning  of  the  treason  of  the  Acomas; 
swearing  to  chastise  them  all  with  death  they  began  to  organ- 
ize an  expedition  of  extermination  against  the  Acomas. 

The  death  of  Don  Juan  Zaldivar  caused  Onate  to  abandon, 
for  the  time  being,  his  voyage  to  the  South  Sea,  the  sad 
event  obliging  him  to  return  to  San  Gabriel  in  order  to  con- 
sult with  the  priests  concerning  the  causes  necessary  to 
declare  war  against  the  Pueblo  of  Acoma.  With  all  haste  Ofiate 
returned  to  San  Gabriel  with  all  the  soldiers  of  his  expedition 
and  those  who  had  been  left  of  the  force  of  Don  Juan  Zaldivar, 


226  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

firmly  resolved  to  inflict  a  severe  punishment  upon  the  treach- 
erous Indians.  Onate,  therefore,  determined  to  declare  war 
against  that  pueblo;  but  in  order  not  to  expose  himself  to  the 
criticism  and  censure  of  his  superiors,  he  desired  tirst  that 
the  priests  should  define  to  him  tne  causes  that  justified  a 
government  in  declaring  war.  The  answer  of  the  priests,  in 
which  they  all  concurred,  left  no  room  for  Onate  to  doubt 
the  justice  that  protected  him  in  his  determination.  The 
answer  is  signed  by  Fray  Alonzo  Martinez,  apostolic  com- 
missary, and  superior  of  the  rehgious  men  of  the  expedition, 
which,  on  account  of  its  great  importance  in  history,  we 
reproduce  textually. 

Case  Presented  by  the   Governor  That  the  Religious  Fathers  Should 
Give  Their  Opinion  Upon. 

"Don  Juan  de  Onate,  Governor  and  Captain  General,  and 
Adelantado  of  the  Provinces  of  New  Mexico,  asks  what  is 
required,  for  the  justification  of  a  just  war,  to  be  done  (by 
the  person  waging  it,)  with  regard  to  the  conquered  and 
their  possessions."' 

"Answer  of  the  Commissary  and  the  Religious." 
"The  question  and  answer  contain  two  points:  In  the 
first  place,  what  is  required  for  a  war  to  be  just.  And  the 
answer  is:  Authority  from  a  prince  that  recognizes  no  super- 
ior, as  the  Roman  Pontiff,  the  Emperor  and  Kings  of  Castile, 
who  enjoy  the  privilege  of  an  Empire  in  not  recognizing  a 
superior  in  what  is  temporal,  and  others;  both  they,  by 
their  person  or  by  whoever  has  their  power  to  that  effect, 
because  a  private  person  cannot  declare  war,  for  it  is  neces- 
sary to  call  out  people  for  that  purpose,  and  this  is  an  act 
belonging  to  the  prince  alone,  and  he  can  demand  justice 
before  his  superior. 

"In  the  second  place  it  is  required  that  there  be  a  just 
cause  for  the  aforesaid  war,  which  may  be  one  of  four 
causes:  For  defending  the  innocent  who  suffer  injustice,  to 
the  defense  of  whom  princes  are  obliged  to  come,  whenever 
they  are  able  to  do  so;  for  the  restoration  of  goods  unjustly 
taken;  for  punishing  delinquents  and  culprits  against  the 
laws,  it  they  are  their  subjects,  or  against  the  laws  of  nature, 


ILLUSTKATKD   HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  227 

if  they  are  iK^t;  and  the  last  and  principal  one  is,  for  the 
establishment  and  preservation  of  peace,  for  this  is  the  prin- 
cipal end  for  which  war  is  ordained. 

"The  third  requisite  for  the  entire  justification  of  war  is  a 
just  and  uprig:ht  intention  in  those  who  tight,  and  it  will  be 
just  if  the  fighting  is  done  on  account  of  any  of  the  four 
causes  we  have  just  mentioned;  and  not  for  ambition  of  com- 
manding, nor  for  mortal  vengeance,  nor  through  coveteous- 
ness  of  the  goods  of  others. 

"The  second  point  of  the  question  is:  What  may  persons 
do,  who  wage  said  just  war,  with  the  conquered  and  their 
possessions"?  To  w4iich  is  answered  that  the  said  conquered 
and  their  possessions  are  at  the  mercy  of  the  conqueror,  in 
the  form  and  manner  required  by  the  just  cause  of  the  war, 
for,  if  it  was  waged  for  the  detention  of  innocent  persons  he 
can  proceed  till  he  sets  them  free  and  puts  them  in  safety, 
and  he  can  satisfy  them  and  satisfy  himself  of  the  damages 
they  have  suffered  and  of  those  injuries  they  have  undergone 
by  this  very  fact,  similarly  to  Moses  in  his  defense  of  the 
Hebrews  who  were  ill-treated  by  the  Egyptians. 

"If  the  cause  of  the  war  is  the  restoration  of  possessions 
(property)  it  can  be  satisfied  by  giving  and  taking  (as  much 
for  as  much)  in  the  same  species  of  possessions  or  goods  or 
the  value  according  to  justice;  and  if  it  be  desired  to  employ 
the  authority  of  a  minister  of  divine  justice  as  a  judge  of 
human  justice;  such  minister  and  judge  can  as  such,  further 
extend  hishand  to  the  goods  of  theconquered sefctingand  fixing 
a  penalty  and  punishing  his  offense  without  any  duty  of 
restitution,  similarly  to  the  judge,  who  hangs  someone  be- 
cause he  stole  some  maravedies,  or  reales. 

"If  the  cause  of  the  war  is  the  punishment  of  delinquent 
and  guilty  persons  they  and  their  goods  remain  at  his,  the 
conqueror's,  will  and  mercy  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of 
his  kingdom  and  republic,  if  they  are  subjects,  and  if  they 
are  not,  he  can  reduce  them  to  live  according  to  divine  and 
natural  law  through  all  the  ways  and  means  he  may  deem 
convenient  in  accordance  with  justice  and  reason,  trampling 
all  obstacles  of  whatever  nature  that  to  this  end  he  may 
encounter,  if  they  are  such  as  would  obstruct  the  just  effect 
he  pretends. 


228  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

''And,  finally,  if  the  cause  of  war  is  universal  peace  or  the 
peace  of  his  kingdom  and  republic  he  can  with  very  much 
more  justice  wage  the  aforesaid  war,  and  destroy  all  incon- 
veniences that  might  obstruct  the  aforesaid  peace  until  it  is 
gained,  and  once  gained,  he  must  not  wage  it  further,  for  the 
act  of  war  is  not  an  act  pertaining  to  election  and  will,  but  to 
just  occasion  and  necessity;  and  in  this  manner  he  must 
demand  peace  before  he  commences  (war)  if  he  wages  war 
only  for  its  sake  (peace's):  and  if  he  wages  it  for  other  causes 
than  the  ones  already  mentioned  he  can  repeat  and  take  the 
due  satisfaction  abstaining  himself  from  damaging  the  inno- 
cent, for  these  are  always  blameless  in  all  right,  as  they  have 
committed  no  trespass,  and  abstaining  as  much  as  possible 
from  causing  death  to  men;  first,  because  that  course  is  most 
odious  in  the  sight  of  God,  so  much  so  that  he  would  not 
receive  a  temple  or  mansion  from  the  just  David  because  he 
had  been  a  homicide.  Second,  because  of  the  manifest  con- 
demnation of  the  body  and  soul  that  is  caused  by  death  in 
the  opposers  who  therein  fight  unjustly;  many  might  be 
converted  and  justified,  in  the  course  of  time,  if  they  did  not 
die  there;  since  that  is  true  after  the  necessity  or  manifest 
danger  of  death  cease;  or  if  victory  is  otherwise  impossible, 
or  by  just  decree  of  a  competent  judge;  in  such  cases  those 
who  kill  are  not  to  blame,  because  as  ministers  of  divine 
justice  they  execute,  but  rather  those  who  die  because,  as 
guilty  they  deserved  it;  and  this  is  my  opinion  excepting 
another  one  better.  Fray  Alonzo  Martinez,  apostolic  com- 
missary." 

"This  was  also  the  sentiment  of  all  the  fathers  who  all 
signed  it."'* 

Expedition  Against  the  Acomas. 

The  opinion  of  the  Fathers  being  heralded,  the  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  the  campaign.  Captain  Vicente  Zaldivar 
was  chosen  commandant  of  the  expedition.  In  the  choice  of 
Don  Vicente,  Ofiate  showed  very  good  judgment,  for  Don 
Vicente,  being  a  man  of  great  valor  and  a  very  famous 
captain,  and  as  he  was  a  brother  of  Don  Juan,  it  was  fitting 
that  he  rather  than  any  one  else,  should  avenge  the  death  of 

*  VillagrA's  "Hist,  de  la  Nuevo  M(?jico." 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  229 

his  brother.  Captain  Vicente  Zaldivar  left  San  Gabriel  on 
January  12th,  1599,  accompanied  by  Captains  Zubia,  Romero, 
Aguilar,  Farfdn,  Villagrd,  Mdrquez,  Juan  Cort^z,  and  Juan 
Velarde,  with  70  soldiers,  all  well  mounted.  They  arrived 
at  Acoma  on  the  21st  of  the  month.  The  Spaniards  en- 
camped near  the  Peiiol  (rock).  As  soon  as  he  had  set  things 
in  the  order  which  the  critical  condition  required,  Zaldivar 
sent  a  message  by  a  sergeant  to  the  Indians  demanding  their 
surrender  and  asking  them  to  comedown  and  be  punished 
for  the  murders  they  had  committed.  The  Indians  laughed 
and  scorned  the  messenger  telling  him  to  say  to  Don  Vicente 
that  they  would  take  his  life  and  the  lives  of  those  of  his  troops 
too,  if  the}'  dare  penetrate  the  entrances  to  the  pueblo.  The 
answer  of  the  Indians  inflamed  the  spirits  of  the  Spaniards 
to  the  pitch  of  effecting  the  surrender  of  the  pueblo  or  of 
perishing  in  the  combat.  The  orders  were  therefore,  given 
for  the  assault  on  the  next  day,  the  22nd  of  January,  Saint 
Vincent's  Day—  a  thing  they  accomplished  at  peep  of  day. 

Assault — Surrender  of  the  Pueblo. 

After  the  most  obstinate  battle  and  great  losses  suffered 
by  the  Spaniards,  and  the  horrible  massacre  of  Indians  (600 
of  them  having  died)  the  few  remaining  Indians  came  down 
to  surrender  themselves  unconditionally  on  the  24th  of  the 
month.  The  act  of  surrendering  being  over,  the  Indians  In- 
quired after  that  valiant  rider  with  the  gray  beard,  who,  on  a 
brisk,  white  steed  and  accompanied  by  a  handsome  queen, 
was  helping  the  Spaniards.  The  Spaniards  considered  that  a 
miracle  had  been  performed  saying  that  the  rider  the  Indians 
saw  must  have  been  Santiago  (St.  James)  and  the  queen,  the 
Virgin,  an  apparition  which  they  did  not  see.  Villagrd  gives 
us  in  graphic  phrases  an  account  of  the  signal  victory  of  the 
Spanish  Arms  and  of  the  heroic  defense  of  their  pueblo  made 
by  the  Indians.     Villagrd  speaks: 

"Tired  from  the  exhausting-  journey,  let  us  have 
Christ's  blest,  unconquered  ensig-n  hoisted  here. 
Let  tears  be  repressed,  for  they  leave  wounds 
Upon  afflicted  souls.     And  thou,  great  king-. 
Most  August  Phillip,  who  a  listening  ear 
Hast  lent  to  my  uncultured' muse,  I  do 
Beseech  thee  not  to  grow  impatient,  no! 


230  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

For  here  to  the  promised  post  I'm  come 

Trusting,  grand  sovereign,  in  the  excellence 

Of  thine  unbounded  grandeur,  and  that  as 

The  father  of  the  warlike  exercise 

Thou  wilt  vouchsafe  to  open  for  me  a  most 

Serene  post,  by  whose  life-inspiring  power 

Strengthened,  I  may  my  sails  risk  to  the  wind 

Returning  to  the  frightful  conflagration 

Whose  blaze,  vibrating  savagely,  forth  belched 

Its  lightning  bolts  with  sparks  and  cinder  mixed, 

l^lnvel oping  the  lofty  houses  in 

Their  awe-inspiring  and  consuming  flames, 

See  here,  my  Lord,  high  roofs,  and  walls  and  lofts, 

And  dwellings  that  break  in  a  thousand  portions 

Open,  and  crvunbling  swift  roll  on  the  ground 

In  sudden  crash,  and,  like  a  living  fire 

Deep  in  the  scorched  earth  do  bury  all     ^ 

The  wretched  dullness,  leaving  not  a  trace 

Of  anything  that's  not  devoured,  consumed. 

See,  too,  my  Lord,  the  many  corpses  that 

In  their  despair  fall  from  the  summit  of 

The  wall,  and  torn  by  rocks  lie  on  the  earth 

Outstretched  in  the  minutest  fragments  of 

Flesh  and  bone.     The  savages,  both  men 

And  women,  who  roast  with  their  little  ones. 

Most  piteously  lament  their  misery 

And  fate.     The  sergeant  to  compassion's  moved 

Before  that  harvest  woeful,  grim  of  death. 

As  when  a  skillful  pilot's  wont  to  exert 

Himself  amid  the  storm  and  tempest  of 

The  ocean,  leaping  to  and  fro,  and  for 

The  common  safety  strives,  commanding  crew 

And  passengers  with  anxious  shouts;  and  then 

All  join  and  rush  in  fervid  haste  to  aid 

Themselves  and  save  the  slender  vessel  from 

The  wrath  of  angry  wave  and  raging  wind 

Which  toss  it  'mid  a  tliousand  watery  mountains 

So  he  (the  sergeant)  urging  Chumpo  and 

Other  barbarians  who  wished  for  peace 

Assures  and  promises  upon  Jiis  faith 

As  honored  knight  that  he  will  spare  the  lives 

Of  all  if  they  but  do  abstain  from  that 

Most  dreadful  butchery  and  cruel  strife 

Which  they  — unhappy  wretches — called  upon 

Themselves.     No  sooner  liad  the  poor  old  man's 

Fj-avs  caught  the  words  of  tliat  chivalrous  youth 

Tlian.  clamoring  in  loud  wild  voices  with 

The  few  bai-barians  attending  him. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  231 

He  did  persuade  them  and  exhort  h_v  signs 

And  earnest  pleading's  of  a  father  to 

Desist  and  not  to  saerilice  tlieniselves 

To  a  much  horrid  death;  for  lu-  had  pledged 

His  kniylited  word  to  spare  their  lives  and  give 

Tliera  noble  treatment     not  in  doubtful  terms 

But  certainly  without  suspicion  and 

Without  disguise,  and  free  from  vile  intent 

As  after   ligthing's  shock  has  passed,  we  see 

Our  neighbors  in  suspense,  with  death's  pale  hue 

Upon  their  cheeks,  their  throbbing  hearts  within 

Tiieir  breasts  in  palpitation,  they  came  out 

Mistrustful  still,  to  see  and  ascertain 

The  wreck  caused  by  the  tight  already  passed: 

In  similar  manner  many  others  in 

Dull,  timorous  solemn  pace  approached 

Quite  careful  not  to  step  upon  the  bloody 

Corpses  of  friends,  the  loyal  shield  of  those 

Grim  walls  that  with  their  blood  were  bathed  and  dyed. 

So,  too,  sad.  trem])ling,  and  afflicted  hemmed 

In  on  both  sides  they  nearer  came  and  nearer 

Caressing  the  Castillian  band  and  all 

Their  kin  with  palled  features,  yet  with  signs 

Of  cordial  pleasure  beaming  on  iheir  faces. 

On  seeing  them  reduced,  and  now  withdrawn 

From  that  fierce,  mortal  struggle  which  they  had 

Invited,  they  appeared  as  do  the  fields 

Of  wheat  that  nod  and  bend  before 

The  furious  blowing  of  the  mighty  winds 

Whose  heavy  gusts  rush  fiercely  through  their  stalks 

And  crush  them  in  the  ground:  Ev"n  so 

Six  hundred  warriors  conquered  and  disarmed 

Surrendei-ed,  and  witliin  the  town,  with  their 

Wives  and  their  children  prostrate,  gave  their  arms 

And  altogether  placed  themselves  without 

Condition  at  the  hands  and  mercy  of 

The  sergeant  in  most  quiet  stillness,  moved 

By  the  good  Chumpo  who  had  promised  all 

Their  lives,  and  there  and  then  gave  it  to  them 

And  I  doubt  that  we  could  without  his  help 

Have  taken  thatnumancia  which,  though  now 

Lost  and  unhappy,  was  determined  to 

Kather  remain  deserted  and  unpeopled 

Than  ever  to  surrender  that  small  force." 

The  decisive  route  of  the  Indians  of  Acoma  was  a  most 
severe  lesson  for  all  the  pueblos  of  New  Mexico,  resulting  in 


232  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  complete  pacification  of  all  the  Indians.  The  Spaniards, 
however,  did  not  doubt  that  the  bloody  strife  with  the  Acoma 
Indians  was  anything  else  than  the  fruit  of  the  cruel  conduct 
of  Coronado  and  Cardenas  towards  the  Indians  of  Tiguex, 
about  which  the  reader  has  already  been  informed  in  the 
first  b3ok  of  this  work,  and  that  the  hatred  thus  begotten  in 
the  hearts  of  the  Indians  was  yet  yielding  fruit  without  the 
hopes  that  in  future  times  a  general  uprising  might  be 
avoided,  an  uprising  that  perhaps,  might  annihilate  the 
Spaniards  as  it  happened,  in  the  year  1680,  concerning 
which  a  detailed  account  is  given  in  another  part  of  this 
work.  The  seeds  of  hatred  were  also  taking  root  in  the 
Spanish  encampment;  the  officers  and  soldiers  were  giving 
inhuman  treatment  to  Indians  obliging  them  to  perform  work 
beyond  their  strength,  depriving  them  of  the  necessaries  of 
life  and  using  them  as  beasts  of  burden.  The  priests  opposed 
all  these  abuses  censuring  and  upbraiding  the  Spaniards 
without  excluding  Oiiate  himself,  whence  the  friction  between 
the  priests  and  the  military  followed,  a  friction  which  became 
afterward  a  historical  scandal  from  which  the  exposure  of 
the  cruel  and  criminal  conduct  of  Ofiate  and  his  soldiers 
towards  the  Indians  was  made  by  Father  Fr.  Escalona  from 
New  Mexico  in  1601,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  next  chapter. 
Concerning  that  matter,  and  concerning  the  other  voyages 
that  Onate  made  we  shall  treat  in  the  chapter  following. 


CHAPTER  IIL 

Onate  Reports  His  Operations  and  Asks  for  Aid  to  Continue  the 
Conquest— Sends  Emissaries  to  Spain  and  Mexico—  Disagree- 
ments Between  the  Colonists  is  Strained  to  the  Danger  Point — 
Onate  s  Voyage  to  Quivira — Fatal  Outcome  of  Disagreements — 
The  Priests  Expose  the  Distressing  Situation — The  King  Grants 
Ofiate  and  his  People  the  Title  of  Hijosdalgos — Onate  Crowns 
his  Voyage  of  Conquest  With  a  Prosperous  Trip  to  the  Culf  of 
California  and  the  Founding  of  the  City  of  Santa  Fe. 

1599-1605. 


The  reaction  of  the  glorious  victory  of  Don  Vicente  Zaldi. 
var  and  his  handful  of  heroes  over  the  warlike  Acomas  was 
most  favorable  for  the  Spaniards,  and  as  for  the  Indians,  it 
was  a  genuine  blessing.  The  mere  thought  of  the  bloody 
struggle  that  met  the  sight  of  the  seventy  nine  Spaniards 
{seventy  soldiers  and  nine  officers)  in  the  assault,  capture, 
and  surrender  of  Acoma  whose  natural  fortress  (El  Pefiol) 
•even  in  our  days  seems  impregnable,  would  have  been  suf- 
ficient motive  to  dishearten  a  well-disciplined  army  fully  pro- 
vided with  the  most  efficient  accoutrements  of  war  in  our  age, 
and  that  without  taking  into  account  the  fact  that  the  pueblo 
was  defended  by  6000  warriors.  The  heroism  displayed  by 
Zaldivar  and  his  comrades,  each  one  a  real  hero,  in  such  an 
uneven  contest  has  no  paraleli  in  the  history  of  the  conquest 
of  the  American  Continent.  With  such  an  efficacious  lesson 
as  the  Acomas  received  during  the  three  days  and  two 
nights  (the  22,  23,  and  24th  of  January  1599  supra)  that  the 
celebrated  battle  lasted,  the  authority  of  the  Spanish  Gov- 
•ernment  was  recognized  and  feared  by  all  the  provinces  of 
New  Mexico.  From  that  date  all  the  said  provinces  entered 
into  an  era  of  material,  moral,  and  religious  development. 
The  Franciscan  Fathers  divided  the  provinces  into  districts 
and  to  each  district  a  priest  was  sent.  The  priests,  ever  the 
sincere    and  loyal    friends  of  the  natives  began  at  once  to 


234  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

establish  industrial  schools  in  all  the  districts  (see  Father 
Benavides  account  to  the  King  of  Spain  marked  "appendix 
tirst"  at  the  end  of  this  work.)  In  those  schools  the  priests 
taught  reading,  writing,  agriculture,  music,  carpentry  and 
other  arts  necessary  for  the  complement  of  the  civilization  of 
the  Indians.  Onate's  occupation,  in  the  meanwhile,  consist- 
ed only  in  the  search  of  glory  and  wealth.  His  public  and 
private  conduct  became  daily  more  reprehensible,  and  as  the 
priests  continually  warned  and  upbraided  him,  he  very 
naturally  came  to  the  point  of  hating  them  from  which  re- 
sulted the  most  untoward  contradictions  which  finally  ended 
in  the  withdrawal  of  almost  all  the  priests  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  colonists  to  Santa  Barbara  (post)  and  the  re-awakening 
in  the  Indians  of  the  hatred  and  distrust  which  the  cruelty 
of  Coronado  and  Cardenas  (ante  book  first)  had  infused  in 
them.  That  hatred  of  the  Indians  against  the  Spaniards 
became  deep-seated  in  their  hearts  till  the  year  1680,  when 
it  burst  forth  causing  the  expulsion  of  the  Spaniards,  con- 
cerning that  we  will  speak  in  another  chapter.  Let  us  now 
return  to  Ofiate. 

Zaldivar,  Villagra,  Farfan  and  Pinero  go  to  Spain  and  Mexico  as 
Emissaries. 
Filled  with  sanguine  anticipations,  Onate  thought  it  now 
the  opportune  moment  to  give  the  viceroy  an  account  of  the 
conquest  and  pacification  of  New  Mexico  and  to  solicit  from 
him  material  aid  and  protection  for  the  continuance  of  the 
discovery  of  other  lands.  He  at  once  set  himself  to  the  task 
of  preparing  a  long  and  detailed  letter  descriptive  of  his 
voyage  and  of  its  happy  results.  The  letter  was  taken  to 
Spain  by  Don  Vicente  Zaldivar,  and  to  Mexico  by  Captains 
Villagrd,  Farfan  and  Pinero,  who  set  out  on  their  long  jour- 
ney on  the  2nd  of  March,  1599.  Ofiate  demanded  no  less 
than  500  men  and  the  accoutrements  of  war  necessary  to 
carry  to  a  successful  termination  the  conquest  and  coloni- 
zation of  the  unknown  countries  which  he  called  "new  worlds, 
pacific  and  larger  than  those  given  the  emperor  by  the  good 
Marquez."  Those  "new  worlds"'  were  the  Provinces  of  the 
Gran  Quivira.  With  Villagra  and  his  companions  went  the 
Fathers  Fr.  Martinez  and  Fr.  Salazar,  accompanied  by  the 


ILLUSTRATED   IIISTOUY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  235 

Alf^rez  Casas  and  an  escort  of  soldiers,  with  instructions  to 
ask  for  and  bring  more  priests  from  Mexico.  Both  petitions 
were  granted.  From  Mexico  came  Father  Escalona,  as 
superior,  and  six  priests  whose  names  are  not  mentioned  by 
either  Villagrd  or  Oflate,  and  from  Spain,  the  viceroy  of 
Mexico  received  a  decree  ordering  him  to  supply  Ofiate  with 
all  he  wanted  and  to  furnish  him,  as  far  as  possible,  with 
troops,  priests,  funds,  and  any  other  thing  Ofiate  might  be 
in  need  of. 

Disagreements  Between   the  Colonists     Unhappy  Outcome     Exposure 
Made  by  the  Fathers. 

The  departure  of  the  emissaries  and  the  priests  of  which 
we  spoke  in  the  foregoing  chapter  diminished  the  number 
of  troops  and  colonists  at  San  Gabriel,  only  100  men  being 
left  with  Onate,  a  small  number  to  be  sure,  to  follow  up  his 
voyages  of  discovery  and  conquest,  wherefore  Onate  con- 
tented himself  with  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  reinforcements 
which  arrived  the  next  year,  1600,  employing  his  time  in  the 
interim,  making  trips  to  the  neighboring  mountains  in 
search  of  minerals.  His  insatiable  thirst  for  gold  did  not 
allow  him  to  think  of  the  welfare  of  the  colony;  he  absolutely 
forgot  it,  causing  thus  great  suffering  among  the  Spaniards. 
The  priests,  the  colonists  and  their  families,  and  even  the 
Indians  themselves  lacked  all  things  necessary  for  the  sup- 
port of  life,  but  Onate  did  not  pay  any  attention  to  their 
needs  nor  did  he  strive  to  give  orders  to  relieve  the  critical 
situation  of  his  people  and  the  Indians.  The  priests  never 
ceased  to  warn  Ofiate  not  to  be  so  cruel  with  the  Indians, 
whom  he  illtreated,  taking  from  them  their  food  and  cloth- 
ing and  whatever  belonged  to  them,  in  order  to  divide  it 
between  himself  and  his  troops.  All  the  efforts  of  the 
priests  to  give  an  impulse  to  agriculture  and  the  develop- 
ment of  the  arts  and  occupations,  their  using  all  the  means 
at  their  command  to  insure  the  prosperity  of  the  colony,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  continuing  the  settlement  of  other  places 
were  disregarded  by  Ofiate,  for  he  was  so  enthused  with 
the  falsehoods  that  Jusepe  (the  Indian  who  escaped  from  the 
expedition  of  Humafia,  ante)  told  him  about  the  Quivira,  that 
his  restlessness  almost  bordered  on  delirium  as  he  did  not 


236  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

mind  anything  else,  coming,  at  last,  to  the  final  resolve  of 
undertaking  the  trip,  against  the  entreaties  of  the  priests, 
leaving  them  exposed  to  die  of  hunger  or  be  killed  by  the 
Indians  who  would  doubtless  rise  in  insurrection  the 
moment  the  soldiers  were  removed. 

Onate  Sets  Out  for  Quivira-  Battle  Fought. 
At  the  beginning  of  June  1601, Onate  commenced  his  journey 
taking  along  two  priests.  Father  Velasco  and  Father  Vergara, 
Jusepe,  and  eighty  soldiers.  Concerning  the  precise  route 
he  took,  little  or  nothing  is  known,  as  neither  Torquemada, 
nor  Posadas  (Villagrd  does  not  speak  about  this  journey) 
neither  do  the  old  historians  which  the  author  of  this  work 
has  been  able  to  examine,  give  with  precision  the  path 
followed  by  Onate.  Modern  historiographers,  among  them 
Davis,  Prince  and  Salpointe,  are  inclined  to  believe  that  he 
followed  the  identical  route  followed  by  Coronado  in  the 
year  1541  (ante.  Book  First).  However  that  may  be,  the 
author  of  this  work  prefers  to  adhere  to  wiiat,  regarding  that 
voyage,  Torquemado  and  Posada  tell  us  for  the  reason  that,  as 
they  were  Franciscan  priests,  the  author  has  no  doubt  that 
they  based  their  accounts  in  documents  which  went  to  the 
archives  of  the  order  of  Saint  Francis  from  the  hands  of  the 
Fathers,  Velasco  and  Vergara.  Nothing  worthy  of  mention 
happened  in  the  voyage  except  a  battle  between  the  Spaniards 
and  the  Escanjaque'  Indians,  neighbors  to  the  Indians  of 
<^uivira  in  the  precise  place  where  years  before,  Humaila 
and  his  comrades  had  been  defeated.  (Ante  Book  First.) 
The  battle  would  never  have  taken  place,  had  it  not  been 
provoked  by  singular  coincidence.  The  Indians  of  Quivira, 
on  that  occasion  were  at  war  with  the  Escanjaques.  The 
Quiviras  abandoned,  on  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  at 
Quivira,  their  pueblos  and  placed  themselves  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Onate.  The  Escanjaques  took  possession  of  the 
abandoned  pueblc^s  and  were  commencing  to  destroy  them 
when  Father  Velasco  attempted  to  interfere  in  order  to  pre- 
vent their  destruction.  The  Escanjaques  assaulted  the 
priest  and  the  Spaniards  rushed  to  his  defense  thus  preci- 
pitating one  of  the  most  disastrous  battles  of  those  times. 
The  battle  lasted  an  entire  day,  and  the  mortality  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  237 

Indians  was  such  (1000  of  them  died)  according  to  Posada, 
supra,  that  the  Spaniards  gave  the  place  the  name  of  "El 
llano  de  la  Matanza,"  (The  plain  of  the  Massacre).  As  Oilate 
did  not  find  at  Quivira  the  wealth  he  anticipated  to  meet 
with,  he  set  out  on  his  return  trip  arriving  at  San  Gabriel- 
about  the  middle  of  October,  very  much  disgusted  with  the 
result  of  his  voyage,  a  disgust  which  was  changed  into  wrath 
when  he  heard  that  many  colonists  and  some  priests  had 
gone  back  to  Santa  Barbara,  and  that  the  father  commissary 
Fr.  de  Escalona  had  sent  charges  against  him  to  his  superiors. 

Charges  Against  Onate — Drastic  Measures  Taken  by   Him  to  Avenge 
Himself. 

The  charges  which  Father  Escalona  proffered  against 
Oilate,  recite  in  a  pathetic  and  convincing  language,  the 
causes  which  brought  about  the  abandonment  of  the  colony 
by  the  soldiers  and  colonists  which  Onate  had  left  there. 
The  author  having  been  unable  to  find  in  any  of  the  histories 
of  New  Mexico,  except  inTornuemada's,  copies  of  said  charges 
resolved  to  lay  before  the  reader,  in  the  hope  that  it  will  be 
appreciated,  the  integral  reproduction  of  so  valuable  a  histo- 
rical document.     The  letter  of  statements  follows: 

"Letter  of  Statements."  ^ 

"Jesus  be  in  the  saintly  soul  of  Y.  P.  (your  Paternity)  and 
let  him  give  and  grant  what  this,  the  least  of  your  children, 
desires.  As  the  occasion  has  come  of  writing,  from  these 
provinces  of  New  Mexico,  and  of  giving  an  account  to  the 
Lord  Viceroy  and  his  audience  of  what  has  happened  in  this 
land,  it  is  right  that  we  should  give  it  also  to  Y.  P.  for  the 
duty  is  none  the  less.  The  reason  for  writing  and  sending 
messengers  to  the  Lord  Viceroy  is,  our  father,  to  explain  to 
him  how  all  the  people,  or  most  of  them,  of  this  New  Mexico 
are  leaving,  and  going  out  of  it,  constrained,  as  they  are  by 
the  great  need  in  which  they  find  themselves  at  present,  on 
account  of  hunger  and  nakedness;  by  reason  of  the  Indians 
having  been  so  drained  (of  what  they  had)  they  are  dying  of 

*From   Torquemada's  "Indiana  Vol.  I.  671— and   from   Posadas- 
Not.  216  et  seq. 


■238  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

hunger  because  the  governor  and  his  captains  have  plund- 
ered their  pueblos  and  taken  from  them  all  their  corn  which 
they  had  stored  for  six  months,  till  they  left  them  so  desti- 
tute of  grain,  and  in  such  necessity  that,  through  sheer 
hunger,  they  mix  cinders  witli  I  know  not  what  wild  seedlets, 
and  that  is  what  they  eat;  and  if  God  had  not  provided  that 
some  private  persons  had  planted  a  little  irrigation  wheat  we 
should  all  have  died. 

"It  being  now  manifest  that  the  year  is  precarious,  and 
that  we  have  had  no  rain  in  a  long  time,  wherefore  not  many 
crops  have  been  raised,  and  as  in  many  of  these  pueblos  no 
grain  is  harvested;  and  as  the  governor  has  refused  to  plant 
a  community  piece  of  land  so  that  his  captains  and  soldiers 
might  have  something  to  eat  and  that  all  Spaniards  and  In- 
dians might  not  perish,  those  of  this  place  have  agreed  by 
common  consent  to  go  to  peaceable  lands,  and  go  as  far  as 
Santa  Barbara,  and  there  wait  for  what  the  Lord  Viceroy 
shall  command  them  to  do  whether  to  go  over  somewhere 
else,  or  to  return  here  helping  them  with  some  kind  of  succor 
or  allow  them  to  go  and  settle  at  Yndeje,  which,  is,  they  say, 
a  paradise  and  rich  in  silver,  or  to  go  to  the  Valle  del  Aguila 
(Eagle's  Valley)  to  discover  the  South  Sea,  and  see  if  by  that 
route,  (which  is  the  place  where  the  ships  of  China  come  to 
inspect  this  land)  they  can  better  their  condition  with  what 
(those  ships)  they  bring  from  China. 

"Seeing,  then,  that  all  the  laymen  are  leaving  on  account  of 
what  I  have  already  referred,  it  became  my  imperative  duty 
to  allow  the  religious  who  were  here,  to  go  with  them,  for 
they  asked  (that  leave)  so  earnestly  that  Y.  P.  wiU  be  able  to 
see  by  their  petition  which  they  presented  to  me  for  that 
purpose  with  so  many  reasons  and  motives,  which  are  strong 
enough  to  convince  whoever  considers  them  aright;  and  they 
do  not  go  with  the  intent  of  leaving  and  abandoning  this  land 
altogether,  but  only  constrained  by  necessity;  for  the  lay- 
men go  to  Santa  Barbara  to  wait  for  his  Majesty's  order, 
and  also  the  religious,  to  what  they  may  be  commanded. 
That  this  place  may  not  be  left  altogether  desolate,  I  remain 
here  with  the  Royal  Alf6rez  and  a  few  other  Spaniards  await- 
ing for  the  orders  that  may  be  sent  to  us,  for  which  we  shall 
wait  four  or  five  months,  the  time  the  answer  of  those  who 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  239 

are  going  tliere  for  it,  may  delay  (in  coming)  and  to  take  the 
messages  which  touching  tliis  matter  we  send  to  his  Lord- 
ship and  Y.  P.  although  we  are  in  danger  of  loosing  our  lives 
on  account  of  our  number  being  so  small  and  not  having  any 
fortress  where  we  might  intrench  ourselves,  nor  wheat,  nor 
corn  to  eat.  And  if  within  that  time  no  advice  comes  to  us, 
we  shall  go  to  the  place  where  the  army  is  going  to,  which 
is  the  point  of  Santa  Barbara;  wherefore  I  beseech  Y.  P.  to 
send  me  your  advice;  and  in  behalf  of  all  of  us  who  here  re- 
main we  ask  you  to  beg  it  of  his  Lordship,  the  Lord  Viceroy; 
for  otherwise  it  would  seem  that  we  are  altogether  aban- 
dcmed  and  left  in  the  land.  We  remain  here,  and  hope  to  re- 
ceive news  from  the  governor,  and  from  those  who  went 
with  him,  and  of  the  Father,  Fr.  Francisco  Velasco,  and  of 
our  brother  Fray  Pedro  de  Vergara  who  went  with  him;  for 
I  should  have  gone  on  that  voyage  (as  I  wrote  to  you),  but  I 
confess  that  seeing  things  in  this  land  so  out  of  order  -and 
against  Christianity,  I  did  not  dare  make  the  journey;  because 
I  saw,  that  as  it  is,  in  matters  we  have  here  at  present,  it  has 
been,  and  will  be  the  same  where  they  have  gone  and 
wherever  they  go.  And  these  things  I  wanted  told  by  some 
one  else  and  not  myself,  for  even  if  there  were  no  famine, 
they  are  enough  for  the  religious  to  go  back  or  else  live  cru- 
cified. 

"The  Fathers  Fray  Francisco  de  San  Miguel,  Fray  Fran- 
cisco de  Zamora,  Fray  Lope  Izquierdo  and  Fray  Gaston  de 
Peralta,  are  the  ones  who  are  going  now  and  I  remain  so  as 
to  go  last;  they  go  as  chaplains  of  the  army  and  accompanying 
them  on  the  road. 

"What  I  request  from  Y.  P.  is,  that  if  no  religious  are  to 
come  back  here,  to  order  me  what  God  may  best  inspire  Y. 
P.  with;  for  until  now  almost  nothing  is  discovered  of  what- 
ever is  said  to  exist  here,  and  this  is  the  reason  to  go  forward 
to  the  north,  or  east  or  south;  for  from  that  City  of  Mexico 
down  to  this  point  where  we  are,  we  have  walked  400  leagues, 
and  stock  has  been  brought,  and  other  things  with  great 
trouble,  and  to  leave  it  now  all  to  be  lost  seems  a  very  hard 
thing  (to  do);  and,  in  my  view,  it  would  displease  the  King  if 
we  should  leave  here  against  our  conscience,  especially,  some 
baptized  souls  both  of  adults  and  children;  nor  would  it  even 


240  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

befit  any  other  who  should  sustain  him  in  justice  and  doc- 
trine giving  him  the  possession  of  these  pueblos.  Y.  P.  will 
pardon  the  prolixity,  which,  in  order  to  give  account  from 
lands  so  far  off  of  what  there  is  in  them,  especially  when  it  is 
a  matter  of  honor,  conscience  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  all 
cannot  be  said  in  a  few  words.  May  our  Lord  God  lead  you^ 
as  it  may  please  best  his  divine  majesty,  and  let  Him  guard 
Y.  P.  From  this  convent  of  San  Gabriel  of  New  Mexico,  on 
the  first  of  October,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  one  years. 
Your  least  child  and  subject  of  Y.  P. 

Fray  Juan  Escalona." 

From  what  the  reader  has  read  in  the  statements  of  Fr. 
Escalona,  he  must  have  been  convinced  that  the  defenseless 
Indians  could  not  expect  anything  from  the  soldiers  and 
colonists,  and  that  only  the  priests  took  any  interest  in. 
aleviatmg  their  painful  situation.  The  struggle  between  the 
priests  and  Onate,  and  his  soldiers,  because  of  the  defense  of 
the  poor  Indians  by  the  former,  and  because  of  the  great 
efforts  of  the  latter  to  reduce  them  to  a  most  shameless 
slavery  was  being  accentuated  more  and  more  every  day  till 
it  reached  the  point  where  they  were  unable  to  stand  so  much 
injustice.  The  tyranny  of  Onate  was  not  confined  now  to  the 
Indians  only,  but  he  also  attempted  to  treat  the  priests  with 
equal  despotism,  but  as  at  that  period,  the  ecclesiastical  laws 
were  obeyed  more  than  the  military,  Oiiate  was  unable  to 
satiate  his  vengeance  on  the  priests. 

To  punish  the  deserters,  Onate  declared  them  traitors  and 
sentenced  to  death  those  who  should  not  come  back.  He  sent 
Don  Vicente  Zaldivar  to  Mexico  and  to  Spain  to  inform  the 
Viceroy  and  King  of  what  occurred.  At  Santa  Barbara, 
Zaldivar  was  able,  by  means  of  cruelty  and  threats  to  induce 
some  of  the  colonists  to  return  to  New  Mexico,  but  not  all 
returned,  Ofiate  being  thus  left  with  his  desires  of  punishing 
them  unsatisfied. 

The  priests  did  not  cease  from  exposing  Ofiate  and  his 
soldiers  on  account  of  the  bad  treatment  they  gave  the 
Indians,  and  so,  Oiiate  was  again  denounced  by  Father  Fr. 
Francisco  de  San  Miguel  who,  in  a  letter  written  at  Santa^ 


ILLUSTUATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MP:XICO.  241 

Bdrbara  on  the  29th  of  February,  1602,  when  he  learned  of 
the  object  of  Zaldivar's  visit  to  Mexico,  wrote  to  his  superior 
the  following: 

"Letter.  ' 

"Jesus  give  to  Y.  P.  strength  and  his  Divine  Grace.  It  is 
fifteen  days  since  I  wrote  to  Y.  P.  giving  an  account  of  our 
arrival  at  this  point  of  Santa  Barbara,  and  twelve  days  after 
we  arrived,  the  aide  de  camp  of  Don  Juan  Oilate,  the 
Governor,  reached  here  also  in  pursuit  of  these  captains  and 
poor  people  who  are  here,  the  governor  having  already  sen- 
tenced them  to  have  their  heads  chopped  off,  and  to  visit  on 
them  great  cruelties  on  account  of  the  great  services  they 
have  rendered  both  to  God  and  to  his  majesty,  in  spending 
their  property,  and  serving  personally  they,  and  their  wives, 
and  children,  and  servants,  for  all  did  this,  and  went,  by 
turns,  in  this  Tragico — comedy,  the  men  serving  the 
governor  as  companions;  the  women  in  cooking  his  meals, 
the  children  entertaining  him;  and  the  servants  and  rest  of 
the  people  in  serving  him;  and  even  the  friars  in  adoring 
him;  and  the  case  is  to  the  point  (to  say)  that  we  already  did 
not  tind  place  nor  hour  for  the  security  of  our  lives,  property, 
and  honor.  Sometimes  (when  I  was  superior)  he  com- 
manded me  to  take  some  religious  from  their  posts,  and 
places  where  they  were  (without  any  other  pretext  than  his 
pleasure)  with  the  understanding  that  if  I  didn't  do  it,  he 
would  do  it;  and  it  is  certain  that  those  who  have  been  in  that 
land  have  given  proof  of  their  religion;  and  this  is  certain 
that  the  land  of  itself  is  not  very  habitable;  and  being  there 
governed  by  the  one  who  now  governs,  it  is  not  possihle  to  live 
in  it;  and  for  these  and  millions  of  other  reasons,  it  was  not 
onlj'  fitting  but  necessary  to  get  out  of  it,  and  this  for  the 
relief  of  the  natives,  the  governor,  and  the  Spaniards  that 
remain  there,  because  he  cannot  give  sustenance  but  to  very 
few  people  with  the  ordinary  he  now  has:  and  the  governor 
who  in  order  not  to  fall  from  his  state  goes  about  with  a 
thousand  lies,  tricks,  and  dissemblings,  and  sending  souls 
to  hell  by  the  thousands  and  doing  things  that  are  not 
worthy  to  be  heard  by  Christians  with  false  and  treacherous 


■242  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

appearances;  and  so,  blessed  is  he  who  can  separate  himself 
from  such  deals,  because,  although  it  may  not  be  proper  for 
us  to  deal  with  him  publicly,  there  is  no  reason  why  Y.  P. 
should  not  be  advised  of  it. 

"The  governor  has  made  some  sallies,  all  at  the  expense  of 
the  religious  and  the  natives  as  a  condition  sive  qua  non;  for 
he  could  not  otherwise  have  made  any,  because  he  is  very 
poor,  and  in  all  of  them  he  has  made  horrible  massacres  of 
Indians,  and  great  butcheries  and  shedding  of  human  blood, 
thefts  and  plunders,  which  he  has  made:  I  pray  to  God  to 
grant  him  the  grace  to  do  pennance  for  all  his  misdeeds  in 
this  life.  These  poor  people  are  afflicted;  and  the  aide  de 
camp  carries  in  his  informations  a  thousand  lies  and  a 
thousand  false  oaths,  for  those  who  are  in  New  Mexico  are 
so  oppressed  that  they  cannot  do  but  what  the  governor 
commands,  or  what  they  know  to  be  his  pleasure,  and  in  the 
end  everything  will  have  to  come  to  light,  and  the  truth  will 
be  known;  and  because  Fathers  Zamora  and  Lugo,  who  are 
trustworthy  witnesses,  have  gone  there,  information  can  be 
taken  from  them  concerning  everything.  I  don't  say  any 
more  in  this,  etc.  Santa  Barbara,  the  29th  of  February,  in 
the  year  1602." 

In  Mexico,  Zaldivar  made  the  greatest  efforts  to  contradict 
the  charges  of  the  Fathers  against  his  uncle  (the  reader  will 
recollect  that  Oriate  was  Zaldivar's  uncle)  in  order  to  fix 
more  firmly  his  prestige  as  conqueror.  Viceroy  Monterey, 
however,  did  not  feel  inclined  to  grant  all  that  was  asked  for 
Ofiate,  and  he  so  told  the  King  in  a  report  which  Zaldivar 
himself  carried  to  Spain.  In  Spain,  Zaldivar  seems  to  have 
had  better  success,  for  he  obtained  from  the  King  the 
appointment  of  his  uncle  as  Adelantado,  and  also  a  decree 
declaring  Oiiate  and  all  those  who  had  taken  a  part  in  the 
conquest  with  him  as  hijosdalgos  (a  title  which  is  equivalent 
to  that  of  a  nobleman,)  as  will  be  seen  by  the  decree  which 
we  give  below.  After  the  return  of  Zaldivar,  Oiiate  received 
reinforcements  and  other  succors  which  he  and  the  other 
Spaniards  needed  badly.  At  the  same  time  other  Franciscan 
Fathers  came  the  next  year,  1604,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
year.     The  decree  referred  to  follows: 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  243 

Royal  Decree  Which  Acknowledges  the  Capitulatiori  of  That  Province 
and  the  Prerogatives  of  Its  Settlers. 

Don  Felipe,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Castile,  of  Leon 
etc.  Whereas  the  viceroy,  Don  Luis  de  Velasco,  in  virtue  of 
a  decree  "of  the  King,  my  lord,  vpho  in  glory  be,  took  contract 
and  capitulation'"  with  Don  Juan  de  Oflate,  concerning  the 
discovery,  pacification  and  people  of  Nev;^  Mexico,  which  lies 
in  New  Spain;  and,  among  other  things,  granted  him  what  is 
contained  ia  one  of  the  chapters  of  the  instructions  about  new 
discoveries  and  settlements  of  the  Indies  which  is  of  the 
following  tenor: 

"To  those  who  bound  themselves  to  make  the  said  settle- 
ments, and  had  it  peopled,  and  fulfilled  their  contract:  In 
order  to  honor  their  persons  and  their  descendants,  and  that 
from  them,  as  first  settlers,  laudable  remembrance  may 
remain;  we  make  them  hijosdalgos  of  well  known  mansion, 
them  and  their  legitimate  descendants,  in  order  that  in  the 
pueblo  they  may  settle  and  any  other  part  of  the  Indies,  they 
be  hijosdalgos  and  persons  of  noble  lineage  and  well  known 
mansion;  and  as  such  may  be  known,  had,  and  held,  and 
enjoy  all  honors  and  pre-eminences;  and  that  they  may  do 
all  things  that  all  hijosdalgos  and  knights  of  the  kingdoms  of 
Castile,  according  to  the  statutes,  laws  and  customs  of  Spain, 
may  and  should  do,  etc.,  etc.  The  general  (rules)  follow  and 
it  closes.  'I  wish  and  it  is  my  will  that  it  have  the  force  of 
law  as  if  it  were  done  and  promulgated  in  the  courts:  Let  it 
be  heralded  in  all  parts  and  places  that  may  be  fit  to.  Given 
at  San  Lorenzo  on  the  8th  day  of  July  in  the  year  1602.— I, 
the  King. — Attorney  Laguna. — Attorney  A rmenteras. — Dr. 
Eugenio  de  Salazar. — Attorney  Banavente  de  Benavides. — 
Attorney  Luis  Salcedo. — '  By  command  of  the  King. — Juan 
de  Ibarra. — Registered.— Gabriel  de  Ochoa. — By  the  Chan- 
cellor: Sebastian  de  la  Vega.— Note:— The  auto  (act)  of 
obedience  is  made  by  the  royal  agreement  of  ^Mexico,  dated 
the  20th  of  June,  1604.  It  is  recorded  in  the  books  of  that 
audience  folio  305  of  the  one  that  begins  in  1601.  The  copy  of 
the  original  royal  decrees  from  1570  to  1624,  pages  49."  * 

*Pino:  Not.  Historieas. 


244  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Onate  Visits  the  South  Sea — End  of  His  Administration. 

Onate  delayed  a  long  while  before  he  could  raise  his 
spirits  above  the  languor  which  had  taken  possession  of  his 
soul,  both  on  account  of  his  disappointment  in  the  discov- 
ery of  Qaivira's  fabulous  riches,  and  because  of  the  ruin 
and  desolation,  he  found  at  San  Gabriel  on  his  return  from 
his  fruitless  voyage.  He  determined  once  more  to  try  his 
fortune  by  giving  a  happy  climax  to  his  discoveries  realizing 
there  by  the  ideal  which  should  immortalize  his  name;  the 
discovery  of  the  South  Sea.  Onate' s  valor  was  equal  if  not 
superior,  to  that  of  his  predecessors.  His  was  the  resourceful 
-faculty  of  finding,  even  in  difficult  circumstances,  adequate 
expedients  for  the  purpose  of  emerging  with  success  from 
any  emergency.  He  saw  that  by  recapturing  the  good  will 
and  support  of  the  priests  all  the  obtacles  in  his  way  would 
be  removed.  He  therefore,  addressed  himself  to  the  New 
Commissary,  Pr.  Francisco  de  Escobar,  successor  to  Fr.  de 
Velasco,  who  had  succeeded  Fr.  Escalona,  soliciting  the 
support  which  he  desired  from  the  priests.  Father  Escobar 
had  come  to  New  Mexico  with  six  more  religious,  after 
Zaldivar  had  returned  from  Spain,  the  primitive  spirit  of 
concord  and  harmony  between  Onate  and  the  Franciscan 
priest  having  at  that  date  been  renewed,  according  to  Tor- 
quemada,  who  says: 

"Six  religious  went  over,  with  Father  Francisco  Escobar 
as  their  commissary,  as  well  as  of  those  who  were  there.  The 
commission  went  to  Father  Fr.  Francisco  de  Velasco  who  was 
there  for  one  year — a  man  of  approved  life  and  versed  in 
letters,  on  account  of  causes  that  concurred  (for  that  purpose): 
and  the  commission  went  to  the  new  commissary  who  was 
going  from  here  to  so  comply,  taking  people  who  went  as 
helpmates  to  do  what  he  might  see  fit  both  as  to  garrison 
and  as  an  entry.  He  complied  very  well,  and  the  Viceroy  and 
the  Order  of  Franciscans  were  freed  from  the  uneasiness 
caused  by  the  disagreement  and  bad  arrangement  of  that 
Entry. '^* 

*  Onate  was  not  aware  of  the  fact  that  Melchor  Diaz  had  already 
discovered  the  Gulf  of  California  as  the  reader  has  read  in  chap.  5, 
Book  1  of  this  work— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  245 

Having  received  the  instructions  given  him  by  their 
superiors,  Fr.  Escobar  did  not  hesitate  to  accede  to  entreaties 
of  Oftate  offering  himself  as  one  of  his  companions.  The 
spontaneous,  frank  and  friendly  co-operation  of  Father  Fr. 
Escobar  tilled  Oflate's  heart  with  a  feeling  of  deep  gratitude 
towards  the  priests,  and  a  sincere  regret  of  having  treated 
them  with  disrespect  and  rigor  in  past  occasions  giving 
proof  of  his  sirfcerity  by  approving  the  dispositions  made 
by  Father  Escobar.  Without  loss  of  time  the  preparations 
were  begun,  everything  being  in  complete  readiness  by  the 
7th  day  of  October  (1604),  a  day  when  he  set  out  on  the  journey 
with  thirty  soldiers  and  the  Fathers  Fr.  Francisco  Escobar, 
and  Fr.  San  Buena  Ventura.  On  his  way,  Onate  visited  the 
Pueblos  of  the  provinces  of  Moqui,  Acoraa,  and  Zuni  follow- 
ing the  same  route  that  had  been  followed,  by  Don  Garcia 
Lopez  de  Cdrdenas,  Capt.  Melgosa,  Juan  Gaberas  and  the 
twelve  soldiers  sent  bj^  Coronado  thirty  years  before  for  the 
purpose  of  discovering  the  Colorado  River.  Along  his  way 
Oiiate  crossed  the  little  "Colorado  River"  or  "Coloradito," 
Oflate  himself  having  been  the  man  who  gave  said  river  that 
name  on  account  of  the  reddish  color  of  its  water.  In  like 
manner  Onate  gave  the  name  of  "Rio  Grande  de  Buena  Es- 
peranza"  to  the  river  we  know  today  by  the  name  of  the  "Rio 
Colorado  Grande." 

After  several  journeys  and  many  sufferings,  and  after 
having  traveled  through  many  nations  of  barbarous  Indians, 
Oflate  arrived  on  the  23rd  of  January  in  the  year  1605  to  the 
Rio  Colorado  to  which  he  gave  the  name  already  mentioned. 
He  camped  there  until  the  25th,  following,  on  that  day,  the 
course  of  the  river  downwards  to  its  mouth  on  the  Gulf  of 
California.  He  found  a'  bay  so  ample  that,  according  to 
Onate  "1000  vessels  could  anchor  on  it.'"  As  the  day  of  his 
arrival  there  was  St.  Paul's  day,  OQate,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Father  Escobar,  gave  the  bay  the  name  of  "Puerto  de  la 
Conversion  de  San  Pablo."  * 

The  best  and  most  authentic  narrative  of  this  voyage  is 
given  to  us  by  Father  Fray  Alonzo  de  Paredes  Posadas,  in 
an  account  given  to  the  King  in  the  year  1685  about  the 

*  Bet.  Ariz,  and  N.  Mex.  IIW. 


246  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

happenings  in  New  Mexico.  Referring  to  the  voyage  of  which 
we  have  been  treating  Father  Posadas,  says: 

Date  of  the  Founding  of  Santa  Fe  Correctly  Given. 

'"The  villa  of  Santa  Fe,  center  of  New  Mexico,  is  at  37 
degrees  in  a  straight  line  south,  having  the  sea  on  the  west, 
at  a  distance  of  200  leagues.  It  was  discovered  in  the  year 
1605  by  the  Adelantado  Juan  de  Onate,  carrying  with  him 
some  soldiers  and  religious  of  my  seraphic  religion,  and  as 
president,  the  preacher,  Fr.  Francisco  Escalon,  and  as  guide 
of  his  journey  a  river  which  they  call  the  Colorado  Grande, 
which  has  its  source  in  the  mountains  and  sierras,  which 
are  on  the  northern  part  of  that  villa,  at  28  degrees,  having 
its  torrents  (course)  directly  to  the  west,  and  flows  into  the 
sea  by  the  bay,  that  is  in  the  interior,  which  they  call  Cali- 
fornia, by  whose  banks  Indians  of  many  nations  visited  the 
Adelantado,  Don  Juan  de  Onate,  among  whom,  two  of  them 
who  said  they  were  neighbors  of  Teguayo,  and  seeing  him 
eat  on  a  silver  service,  informed  him  that  in  their  land  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  that  metal."* 

Onate  became  satisfied  with  the  discovery  of  the  gulf, 
returning  next  to  San  Gabriel,  and  reaching  that  point 
August  25,  1605,  after  having  suffered  such  hunger  that  they 
had  to  eat  the  flesh  of  their  horses.  What  Onate  did  in  New 
Mexico  after  1605  or  who  was  his  successor  is  not  known 
with  certainty. 

All  the  historians  agree  that  between  the  years  1605  and 
1608  (a  year  in  which  it  is  w^ell  proved)  he  ceased  to  be  gov- 
ernor, his  successor  being,  according  to  Bancroft,  Don 
Pedro  de  Peralta.f  The  author  of  this  work  is  of  the  opinion 
that  Oiiate  acted  as  governor  until  the  year  1608,  reaching 
that  conclusion  after  a  mature  examination  of  the  works  of 
Ventacur,  Shea,  Gregg,  Davis,  Prince,  Bancroft,  Pino, 
Escudero,  Salpointe,  Barreiro  and  others;  and  that,  with  the 
co-operation  of  the  priests  (the  real  conquerors),  OSate  dedi- 
cated those  two  last  years  of  his  administration  to  the  devel- 
opment of  the  industries    and  the  arts.     The    author  has 

*"Ralaci6n"  of  Father  Posadas  to  the  King-  of  Spain. 
fBacft.  Ariz.  &  New  iMex.  157. 


ILLUSTRATED   IIISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  247 

reached  this  conclusion  basing  his  behef  upon  what  Barreiro 
says  on  that  matter,  whose  opinion,  in  the  judgment  of  this 
author,  adjusts  itself  better  with  the  reasonable  solution  of 
the  enigmatical  question.  The  attorney,  Don  Antonio- 
Barriero,  was  assessor  of  New  Mexico  in  the  year  1831,  and 
it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that,  as  he  was  a  man  of  letters,, 
when  he  wrote  his  "Ojeadasobre  Nuevo  M^jico,'"  printed  in 
Puebla  in  the  year  1832,  he  had  at  his  command  trustworthy 
data  for  his  important  work.  Speaking  of  Don  Juan  Oilate^ 
Barreiro  says: 

"And  owing  to  the  good  procedure  of  Don  Juan  Oflate,  in 
order  to  encourage  him  in  this  purpose.  His  Majesty  the 
King,  Philip  II  (who  is  in  glory)  honored  him  on  February 
7th  1602,  wuth  the  title  of  Adelantado  of  these  provinces  (he 
being  Governor  and  Captain  General  in  them)  for  himself,  his 
son,  or  heir.  And  in  the  year  1608  His  Majesty  provided 
another  governor  with  a  salary  of  two  thousand  ducats  and 
he  resides  at  the  Villa  of  Santa  Fe,  capital  of  this  Kingdom."* 

The  Villa  of  Santa  Fe  Again. 

It  is  equally  certain,  as  said  (ante  chapt.  5)  that  Ofiate  was 
the  founder  of  Santa  Fe.  Upon  that  point  there  is  no  disa- 
greement among  the  authors  referred  to  although  there  is 
some  in  regard  to  the  precise  date  of  its  foundation.  This 
author  believes  that  that  happened  immediately  after  Onate's 
return  from  the  Gulf  of  California  in  Appri  1605,  for  we  have 
already  seen  that,  before  that  voyage  took  place,  the 
Spaniards  already  talked  of  building  the  "City  of  San 
Francisco."  There  is,  then,  no  doubt  that  Onate  founded  the 
villa  of  Santa  Fe  between  the  year  1605  and  1606  if  Fr. 
Posadas  is  correct  (ante).  As  Barreiro  also  has  told  it  to  us,, 
(ante)  Santa  Fe  was  already  mentioned  as  the  place  of  his 
residence  in  1608.  f     Here  ends  the  second  book  of  this  work. 

*Barreiro's  Ojeada.  p.  7. 
fNoTE— There  are  persons  wlio  in  newspaper  articles  affirm  that 
Santa  F^  was  founded  in  l.")4()or  1543,  by  Fray  Juan  dePadilla.  These 
writers,  evidently,  never  saw  the  histoQ-  of  the  voyag-e  of  Coronado 
written  by  Coronado  himself  and  by  Clilp4«nas.  The  reader  will  recol- 
lect to  have  read  in  the  foregoing  chapters  of  this  work  the  account 
itself  of  Coronado  and  that  of  Cacdonas  in  both  of  which  is  established 


248  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

In  the  next  book  we  shall  treat  of  all  that  occurred  between 
the  years  1608  and  1703. 

the  fact  beyond  all  conjecture  that  Tiguex  was  situated  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  Rio  Grande  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Town  of  Bernalillo, 
with  the  only  difference  that  Bernalillo  is  on  the  eastern  bank  of  said 
river.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  account  of  Gdrdeaas  in  regard  to  the 
efforts  the  Indians  made,  when  besieged,  to  escape— a  thing  they  could 
not  accomplish  because  the  Rio  Grande  was  wholly  closed  with  ice,  those 
of  the  Indians  who  attempted  to  cross  the  river  by  breaking  the  ice 
having  been  drowned.  The  same  is  equally  proved  by  what  Fr.  Posa- 
das and  Barreiro  said  in  the  paragraphs  preceding  this  page,  the  para- 
graph about  the  Villa  of  Santa  Fe,  in  which  it  is  affirmed  that  Oiiate"s 
successor  (Peralta)  came  in  1608  to  reside  in  Santa  F^.  See  also  Fr. 
Benavides'  relation  on  location  of  Tiguex,  already  given  to  the  reader 
(ante).— The  Author. 


BOOK  111. 

IN  WHICH  THE  HISTORY  IS  GIVEN  OF  ALL  THE  EVENTS 
BETWEEN  THE  YEARS  1608  AND  1703. 

CHAPTER  L 

The  New  Governor  Don  Pedro  Peralta  Assumes  the  Reins  of  Govern- 
ment— Fr.  Alonzo  Peinado  Arrives  as  Commissary,  of  the  Fran- 
ciscans, and  as  Successor  to  Father  Fr.  Escobar — Fr.  Estevan 
Perea  [Succeeds  Fr.  Alonzo  Peinado — Not  Known  Whether  or 
Not  Don  Pedro  Peralta  Governed  Until  1626 — Nor  is  it  Known 
Who  Were  His  Successors — New  Difficulties  Arise  Between 
Political  and  Religious  Authorities  —Father  Fr.  Geronimo  de 
Zarate  Salmeron  Relieves  Fr.  Estevan  Perea — Indian  Conversions 
Continue — The  Spanish  Settlements  Increase— New  Mexico  is 
Elevated  to  the  Dignity  of  Custodia,  and  is  Assigned  to  Father 
Benavides  -as  First  Custodio — New  Mexico  Gets  Another  Gov- 
ernor— History  of  New  Mexico  by  Fr.  Benavides — Names  of  the 
Governors. 

1608  1703. 


We  have  already  seen  that  in  1608,  Don  Pedro  Peralta  came 
to  New  Mexico  as  successor  to  Onate,  but  nothing  is  known 
respecting  the  whereabouts  of  Onate  thereafter,  although 
some  authors  have  ventured  conjectural  opinions  about  it; 
but,  as  in  matters  of  history,  only  facts  should  be  set  down, 
the  author  of  this  work  has  not  been  desirous  of  amusing  the 
reader  with  mere  stories  or  unfounded  suppositions.  Let  us 
then  leave  Onate  in  the  place  where,  for  the  last  time,  he 
appears  as  a  real  figure  in  the  pages  of  history,  drawing  the 
veil  over  those  remote  and  confused  epochs. 

The  Franciscan  Fathers  had  converted  about  8000  Indians 
between  the  years  1598  and  1608  or  an  average  of  eight  hun- 
dred Indians  a  year,  and  were  teaching  reading  and  writing 
to  a  goodly  number  of  them  when  the  new  Governor  Peralta, 
and  the  new  Commissary,  Father  Peinado,  came.  With  Father 
Peinado  nine  fathers  came,  the  number  of  missionaries  in- 


I         ESPOIIICIOJ^       I 

i  QVE  EL    mESBITEHO  | 

ANTONIO  JG32    TIARTINEZ  § 

CURA     DB     TAOS    gN     NtJBVO    MEXJCO,  ♦ 

DIRIJE  AL  a0BJER\O  DEL  EXMO.  SOH.   | 


DK  M  [:V(>  -  Vl.AK  <>. 


GENERAL    D.   AN'IO.MO   LOIM  Z  DC        * 
SANTA— ANNA.  t 


PROPOMJENDO  2 

LA     CIVILISACION 

DE  LAS  ^ACW^f::s  earbaras 

Qi  i:  >()N 


r       ■  >|  Ah    <"\  r  -KM)  S 

>■  k  f  I 


tj    I 

"EXPOSI(M()N"of  Rov.  A.  H.  MiirtiiHV,  lo  l'r.^M,|,.iit  S;nit;i  Ana  r.H-oinnieiuling  the- 
passage  of  a  law  to  place  the  tribes  of  wild  Indians  In  New  Mexieo  in  reservations  and 
under  control  of  the  central  government.  Printed  In  Taos,  N.  M.,  In  1843,  in  the  first  and 
only  printing  press  In  New  Mexico,  which  had  been  brought  in  1835  by  Father  Martinez 
from  Old  Mexico.  This  priceless  document  contains  14  pages,  in  pamphlet  form,  or 
(■>x7>2  Inches.    Same  is  In  my  possession.  The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  251' 

creasing  with  their  arrival  and  with  the  missionaries,  the 
number  of  conversions,  so  that  by  the  year  1017  the  number 
of  Indian  converts  reached  up  to  fourteen  thousand  and  the 
number  of  churches  and  convents  was  eleven.  The  number  - 
of  settlers  diminished  more  and  more  every  year.  In  1617 
only  47  men  among  soldiers  and  settlers  with  their  respective 
families  could  be  counted,  a  circumstance  which  corroborates, 
with  clear  evidence,  the  great  benefit  redounding  in  favor  of 
the  Indians  from  the  benevolent  conduct  of  the  priests. 

The  success  of  the  Fathers  in  the  christianization  and  paci- 
fication of  the  Indians  was  not  contemplated  fondly  by  the 
military;  almost  daily  difficulties  arose  between  the  two  fac- 
tions, reaching  in  1620  to  the  extreme  of  a  serious  outbreak 
between  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  authorities.  The  difiicul- 
ties  came  to  a  close  by  the  excommunication  of  the  governor  1 
through  a  decree  in  form  of  an  anathema  pronounced  against  i 
him  by  Fr.  Alonzo  Peinado.  The  cruelty  and  oppression 
with  which  the  governor  treated  the  Indians  had  sown 
throughout  all  the  pueblos  in  secret,  a  deadly  hatred  against 
the  Spaniards,  a  hatred,  which  even  against  the  priests  was 
commencing  to  take  root.  The  Governor  on  his  part  charged 
the  Fathers  with  their  being  the  original  cause  of  the  dissatis- 
faction that  was  noted  in  the  spirit  of  the  Indians,  claiming, 
at  the  same  time,  that  his  was  the  power  of  making  the 
appointments  of  the  Indians  who  should  govern  the  pueblos; 
the  priests  denied  that  the  governor  had  any  such  authority 
and  declared  that  the  Indians  ought  to  be  given,  exclusively, 
the  power  to  appoint  their  own  officials  as  they  had  done  it 
to  that  date.  The  accriminations  and  recriminations  of 
both  bands  were  finally  carried  over  to  the  superior  authority 
at  Mexico,  resulting  from  it  a  severe  reprimand  to  the  gov- 
ernor by  the  viceroy,  and  to  Father  Peinado  by  the  Father 
Superior  of  the  order  of  Franciscan  Fathers,  and  the  removal 
of  both. 

A  New  Governor,  and  New  Commissary  are  sent  over. 

The  superior  ecclesiastical  authority  thought  that,  in  behalf 
of  peace,  the  condition  of  the  missions  in  New  Mexico 
demanded  a  radical  change,  and  the  political  authority  was 
of  the  same  opinion  with  respect  to  civil  government  there 


^2  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

also;  consequently  both  jurisdictions  were  changed.  The 
ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  sent  Father  Ger6nimo  Zarate 
Salmeron,  the  wise  preacher  and  erudite  historian,  who 
remained  from  1621  to  1626  in  the  province  of  J^mes  almost 
exclusively;  he  baptized  during  those  five  or  six  years, 
according  to  his  own  narrative,  6,566  Indians,  and  wrote  in 
the  Indian  language  a  work  entitled  "Doctrina'"*  which  he 
put  to  print  in  Mexico,  the  year  he  was  relieved  from  the 
charge  of  commissary,  because  the  province  of  New  Mexico 
had  been  erected  into  a  "Custodia"  under  the  name  and  title 
of  "Custodia  de  la  conversion  de  San  Pablo,"  and  father  Fr. 
Benavides  had  come  to  govern  it  on  that  same  year  with  20 
additional  fathers. 

New  Governor. 

Peralta  acted  as  governor  to  the  close  of  the  year  1620, 
that  is,  at  least,  what  can  be  stated  as  a  certainty,  since 
history  does  not  give  the  name  of  the  other  governor  between 
the  years  1608  and  1620.  It  is  known  with  certainty  that  in 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1621  there  came  as  Governor  Don 
Felipe  Zotylo  who  governed  the  province  to  the  year  1629, 
in  which  he  was  succeeded  by  Don  Manuel  de  Silva. 
Between  Fr.  Benavides  and  Governor  Zotylo  the  most  com- 
plete harmony  reigned  with  marked  benefit  for  the  Indians 
and  Spaniards  who  dedicated  themselves  with  energy  to  the 
prosecution  of  the  industries  which  their  limited  means 
allowed  them  to  develop.  Agriculture  was  made  more  gen- 
eral; all  the  Indian  pueblos  engaged  completely  in  the  culti- 
vation of  their  lands,  the  raising  of  stock,  and  in  the  appren- 
ticeship of  the  arts  and  occupations,  everything  breathed 
tranquility,  progress,  and  good  fellowship.  The  Spanish 
colonies  were  in  lack  of  artificers,  farming  implements  and 
many  other  things  necessary  for  their  development.  The 
mining  industry  had  become  one  of  the  principal  occupations 
but  there  was  a  lack  of  operatives.  The  ecclesiastical  branch 
was  also  quite  decimated,  for  by  the  year  1626  only  nineteen 
of  the  religious  profession  had  remained,  embracing  priests 
and  friars    (lay  brothers).     In  that    year  Father  Benavides 

*Z:irate  Ralmeron's  "Helaciones." 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NKVV    MEXICO.  251? 

was  called  to  Mexico,  and  there  he  ^ave  an  account  of  the 
condition  of  his  missions,  stating  tliat  by  that  date  more 
than  80,000  Indians  had  been  baptized,  and  that  forty  three 
temples  had  been  built.  Father  Benavides  did  not  return  to 
New  Mexico,  having  been  sent  to  Spain  by  his  superiors, 
that  he  might  give  in  person  an  account  to  the  King  of  what 
he  knew  about  New  Mexico,  but  father  Tomas  Manso  with 
thirty  more  priests  came  in  his  stead. 

Fr.  Benavides  in  Spain. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1630  Father  Fr.  Alonzo  Bena- 
vides went  to  Spain  to  make  a  report  in  person  before  the 
King  of  what  he  had  given,  in  the  shape  of  a  narrative  in  1826, 
to  his  superior.  He  was  introduced  to  the  King  by  Fr.  Juan 
de  Santander,  Commissary  General  of  the  Indies.  The  account 
given  by  Fr.  Benavides  to  the  King,  even  if  it  lacks  much  to 
be  desired,  is  of  an  incalculable  historical  value,  because  it  is 
the  first  and  only  history  written  and  published  32  years 
after  the  conquest  by  Onate,  and  because  it  was,  like  that 
of  Villagra,  written  by  a  writer  who,  from  his  own  experience 
and  personal  observation  knew  what  he  was  saying.  Despite 
the  fact  that  it  was  printed  in  Madrid  in  1630,  and  reprinted 
in  Mexico  in  1889,  none  of  the  authors  who  have  written  about 
New  Mexico  had  the  opportunity  of  reading  and  consulting 
it.  Salpointe  refers  to  it  but  says  that  what  he  knows  about 
it  is  from  the  translation  of  a  work  w^ritten  in  French;  a  w^ork 
not  based  on  exact  knowledge,  since  it  asserts  that  Benavi- 
des did  not  go  to  Spain,  but  that  he  sent  his  narrative  to 
Father  Santander.  The  other  authors  state  the  same  thing 
except  Bancroft  who,  with  admirable  candor,  admits  never 
to  have  seen  so  important  a  work,  and  is  however,  the  one 
who  gives  the  most  correct  conclusions,  about  its  contents. 
The  author  of  this  work  was  able,  after  very  long  and  expen- 
sive researches,  to  find  it,  and  because  he  considers  it  of 
great  value  to  history,  has  had  it  reproduced  as  the  first 
appendix  to  this  work,  thus  giving  to  future  generations  one 
of  the  main  fountain  heads  whence  proceeds  the  true  history 
of  New  Mexico,  recommending  to  the  reader  at  the  same  time, 
that  the  appendix  be  read  with  the  care  and  attention  the 
consideration  of  such  a  meritorious  work  demands. 


254  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

The  author  of  this  work  considers  himself  duty  bound  to 
make  a  comment  or  two  on  said  memorial  of  Father  Bena- 
vides,  by  giving  to  his  readers  one  or  two  of  the  points  which 
Father  Benavides  elucidates,  that  he  may  thus  understand 
better  said  memorial  (appendix  first)  and  to  better  appre- 
ciate its  merits.  The  historical  picture  drawn  by  Fr.  de 
Benavides  could  not  be  more  interesting  if  the  almost  insuper- 
able obstacles  that  had  to  be  overcome  are  taken  into  account. 

According  to  Fr.  Benavides,  there  were  in  the  year  1630 
fifty  religious  persons  scattered  among  the  Pueblo  Indians 
and  the  savage  tribes;  more  than  seventy  thousand  had 
already  been  converted  to  Christianity  in  the  ninety  pueblos 
known  in  New  Mexico,  these  pueblos  were  formed  in  groups 
and  divided  in  25  missions  with  a  school  and  church  to  each 
pueblo.  For  the  support  of  the  political,  military  and 
ecclesiastical  governments  an  annual  tribute  was  collected 
from  the  people  which  consisted  of  a  part  of  what  was  har- 
vested and  a  part  of  the  increase  of  stock,  cattle  and  sheep. 
The  most  important  Spanish  colony  w^as  the  Villa  of  Santa 
Fe,  the  seat  of  government,  with  a  population  of  250  Spaniards 
and  their  respective  families. 

Concerning  Quivira,  Father  Benavides  gives  us  a  descrip- 
tion of  its  riches,  inhabitants,  latitude  and  topography.  The 
most  pathetic  part  of  the  narrative  is  the  vivid  picture  he 
gives  of  the  labors  and  sufferings  of  the  priests,  himself  among 
them,  who  were  always  ready  to  sacrifice  their  own  lives,  if 
by  doing  so,  they  could  redeem  but  a  single  soul,  as  many 
of  them  did,  sealing  with  their  blood,  as  real  martyrs,  the 
truth  of  the  holy  doctrine  of  the  crucified  God.  From  what 
we  are  going  to  reproduce  the  reader  will  be  convinced  that 
the  religious,  and  they  alone,  were  the  true  conquerors  and 
benefactors  of  the  Indians.     Let  us  hear  Father  Benavides: 

"It  may  well  be  inferred  from  all  that  is  said  above,  how 
lucid  are  the  toils  and  pilgrimages  of  my  Father  St.  Francis, 
in  the  service  of  God  our  Lord,  for  not  only  have  they 
destroyed  the  empire  of  Satan  and  saved  those  souls  which 
he  (the  devil)  so  undisputedly  enjoyed,  but  have  demolished 
idolatry  and  the  worship  to  the  devil,  the  Lord  God  Creator  of 
all  things  is  alone  adored;  and  where  nothing  appeared  but 
dens  of  idolatry,  today  the  religious  have  done  so  much  and 


ILLUSTRATED    UISTOUY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  ZO.) 

with  such  care,  that  in  order  to  accomplisli  that,  they  despoil 
themselves  of  what  your  Majesty  gives  them  for  their  suste- 
nance and  raiment.  Their  continuous  occupation  is  that  of 
Martha  and  Maria;  recurring,  like  Martha,  to  active  life, 
curing  the  sick  and  feeding  the  poor  and  needy;  causing  the 
fields  to  be  planted,  and  growing  stock,  and,  together  with 
this,  breaking  lands  for  the  Indians  who  do  not  live  in  settle- 
ments, and  after  building  them  a  house  and  the  entire  pueblo, 
i^nd  plowed  and  sown  their  lands,  and  given  them  all  that  is 
necessary  for  those  first  months  they  bring  them  to  live  there 
like  reasonable  beings,  where  they  are  taught  to  recite  the 
Christian  doctrine,  and  are  taught  good  customs;  in  like  man- 
ner they  teach  the  boys  how  to  read  and  write  and  sing,  and 
the  Lord  is  to  be  praised  at  seeing,  in  so  short  a  time,  so  many 
chapels  with  organ  singing;  in  the  same  way  they  are  taught 
all  the  occupations  for  human  utility,  such  as  tailoring, 
shoemaking,  carpentry,  blacksmithing  and  other  things 
in  learning  which  they  are  very  skilfull;  and  this  depends  on 
the  solicitude  and  care  of  the  religious,  for  should  he  be 
missed,  all  this  harmony  and  all  the  political  life  in  which  they 
are  trained  in  our  style  would  cease.  Neither  do  they  (the 
religious)  fail,  like  Mary,  in  contemplative  life  which  is  the 
monastic  state  that  they  have  professed;  for  with  the  many 
exterior  occupations  in  the  administrations  of  the  sacraments 
they  have  no  rest  in  going  from  pueblo  to  pueblo,  and  there 
is  not  a  religious  who  has  not  four  or  live  pueblos  under  his 
charge;  they  so  live,  that  they  seem  to  be  in  a  community, 
for  matins  never  fail  at  midnight  and  the  other  hours,  and 
high  mass  always  in  time;  and  the  convents  are  in  so  great  a 
harmony  that  they  look  more  like  sanctuaries  than  the  houses 
of  single  friars;  and  with  such  continuous  occupations,  fast- 
ings never  fail,  practicing  even  the  lents  of  the  blessed,  and 
many  other  spiritual  exercises  with  which  they  greatly  edify 
both  the  Spaniards  and  Indians  who  respect  them  as  if  they 
were  angels.  I  have  wished  to  touch,  en  pass  ant,  upon  this 
matter,  refraining  from  stating,  many  other  things  which  I 
might  say,  with  the  sole  purpose  that  your  Majesty  may 
know  the  quality  and  virtue  of  those,  your  chaplains,  who 
with  such  gratitude,  love  and  good  will  recommend  your 
Majesty  to  God  in  that  secluded  sjjot,  and  in  that  primitive 


256  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

church  where  Our  Lord  works  so  many  wonders  and  to  which 
your  Majesty  must  render  favor  and  assistance,  both,  on 
account  of  the  duty  imposed  upon  your  Majesty  by  the  church 
in  the  bull  of  Alexander  VI  when,  in  the  name  of  God,  he  gave 
you  these  kingdoms  only  for  the  care  and  nourishing  there 
needed  by  our  holy  Catholic  faith  and  for  the  conversion  of 
so  many  souls,  as  well  as,  on  account  of  the  many  mercies 
which  God  our  Lord  grants  your  Majesty  there  in  giving  you 
so  many  riches  as  we  have  discovered  in  the  province  of  the 
Pifos,  (Socorro  county),  as  I  have  said,  and  in  this  kingdom 
of  Quivira  and  Aixaos;  and  all  that  is  needed  to  enjoy  all  that 
by  the  monarchy  is  to  people  the  ports  through  which  such 
riches  may  be  taken  out,  and  that  there  be  some  to  work 
them  out;  for  certain  it  is  that  the  plates  of  silver  will  not 
come  out  of  the  mines  ready  made,  but  money  must  be 
expended  to  take  them  home.  It  is  sufficient  that  God  our 
Lord  show  unto  our  eyes  the  rich  metals  and  the  ports 
through  which  we  may  enjoy  them.'"  * 

Nothing  sensational,  or  of  sufficient  importance  occurred 
for  several  years  after.  The  colonies  of  Spaniards  increased 
in  the  course  of  years.  The  industries,  the  arts  and  occupa- 
tions expanded  and  developed  in  proportion  to  the  growth  of 
the  population.  In  spite,  however,  of  the  allu  ring  perspective, 
the  flame  of  vengeance  blazed  at  the  bottom  of  the  hearts  of 
the  Indians.  From  generation  to  generation  the  cruelties  of 
the  Spanish  generals  were  transmitted  among  them— com- 
mencing from  the  shocking  sacrifice  made  by  Cdrdenas  and 
Coronado  in  1540  in  the  province  of  Tiguex  (ante  Book  I)  and 
bursting,  subsequently,  in  the  sombre  uprising  of  1680  con- 
cerning which  we  shall  treat  in  the  next  chapter. 

Governors  from   1629   to   1680. 

It  is  proper  that  the  reader  know  the  names  of  the  gover- 
nors in  whose  hands  were  the  reins  of  government  between 
the  years  1629,  when  Don  Felipe  Zotylo  left  the  post,  to  1679 
when  Otermin  became  the  incumbent.  Zotylo  was  succeeded 
by  Manuel  Silva,  and  Silva  by  Don  Fernando  de  Arguella 
(1640).     Don  Luis  de  Rosas  assassinated  in  1642  succeeded 

*  See  appendix  first  of  this  work. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOUY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  257 

Arguello  (1041-2)  Valdez  came  next,  and  after  him  Pacheco 
de  Heredia  in  (11544).  In  1645  Arguello  became  again  governor. 
Luis  de  Guzman  to  1050;  Ugarte  and  La  Concha  in  1050;  Don 
Juan  de  Samaniego  in  1053;  Don  Enrique  Avila  y  Pacheco,  in 
1053;  Don  Bernardo  Lopez  de  Mendizdbal,  in  1600;  Diego  de 
Peilaloza  Briceilo  from  1001  to  1004.  Peiialoza  was  followed 
by  Governors  Fernando  de  V^illaNueva,  Juande  Medranoand 
Don  Juan  Miranda,  but  the  respective  dates  of  their  admin- 
istrations have  never  been  learned  with  certainty  that  being 
the  reason  why  so  little  can  be  said  about  them.  Juan  Fran- 
cisco Trevitio  from  1075  to  1079;  Antonio  de  Otermin  from 
1079  to  1683.  Otermin  acted  as  governor  a  little  over  a  year, 
although,  in  fact,  he  was  governor  until  the  year  1083.  As  it 
was  during  his  administration  (in  the  year  1080)  that  the 
historic  uprising  occurred,  m  hich  gave,  as  a  sequel,  the  expul- 
sion of  the  Spaniards,  and  the  total  loss  of  the  results 
acquired  by  Oiiate  and  his  successors.  This  chapter  closes 
with  what  the  reader  has  already  read  regarding  the  more 
salient  events  between  the  years  1008  and  1040,  in  order  to 
begin  the  next  one  with  the  narration  of  other  events,  and  the 
account  of  the  retreat  of  Otermin. 


CHAPTER  U. 


Murder  of  Fathers  Arvide  and  Letrado  and  Poisoning  of  Father  Porras 
— Assassination  of  Governor  Rosas — Penaloza  and  the  Priests  — 
Voyage  of  Penaloza  to  Mexico — He  is  punished  for  Blaspheming — 
His  Voyage  to  France  and  England — Betrays  his  Sovereign  —  Up- 
rising of  the  Indians.  

1640-1680- 


In  the  year  1632  Father  Pray  Arvide  was  oriven  missions 
in  the  province  of  Zuiii,  and  Fathers  Letrado  and  Porras  in 
the  province  of  Moqui,  places  in  v^hich  the  Franciscans  had 
several  convents  and  some  schools,  the  fathers  referred  to 
being  in  charge  of  them.  At  that  period  the  discontent 
among  the  Indians  had  become  general  but  the  Spaniards 
suspected  nothing.  The  insubordination  of  the  Indians 
became  more  acute  on  account  of  the  scandals  which  contin- 
ually occurred  in  the  settlements  of  the  Spaniards,  between 
the  ecclesiastical  and  political  tribunals.  When  the  Indians 
saw  that  the  strife  between  the  priests  and  the  government 
was  an  every  day  occurrence,  they  began  to  treat  thepriests  and 
officials  with  indifference  and  contempt,  which  caused  the 
priests  to  reprimand  them  without  obtaining  the  results  de- 
sired. Thus  it  was  that  because  the  priests  attempted  to  up- 
braid the  Indians,  Fathers  Arvide  and  Letrado  were  murdered^ 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  pueblo  of  Zuiii  towards  the  close  of  1632; 
and  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  following,  the  Indians  of 
Moqui  poisoned  Father  Porras.  The  civil  authorities  allowed 
the  guilty  Indians  to  go  without  punishment  not  even  taking 
notice  of  the  deaths  of  the  said  fathers,  nor  of  the  others  who 
had  been  previously  assassinated  by  the  Indians  in  other 
places,  from  which  indifference  resulted,  ten  years  later,  a 
serious  break  between  Governor  Rosas  and  the  priests — a 
break  which  ended  first  in  the  assassination  of  Rosas,  and 
culminated  in  the  general  uprising  of  the  Indians  in  1680, 
causing  the  exit  of  the  Spaniards,  as  will  be  shown  in  the 
next  chapter. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  259 

Death  of  Governor  Luis  Rosas. 

Criminations  and  recriminations  between  tlie  Governor 
and  the  priests  were  the  order  of  the  day  in  detriment  of  the 
Spanish  and  Indian  settlements.  The  governor  accused  the 
fatliers  of  having  constituted  themselves  as  ecclesiastical 
judges,  arrogating  to  themselves  extraordinary  powers;  of 
bsing  themselves  the  cause  of  the  general  discontent  among 
the  Indians,  and  of  being  the  initiators  of  the  sedition  that 
was  being  generally  diffused.  Prom  so  perilous  a  situation 
the  result  was  the  tragic  death  of  Governor  Rosas  in  1642.  We 
call  it  a  tragic  death  because  it  was  such,  in  fact,  but  it  is 
known  that  the  crime  was  not  consummated  through  motives 
directl}^  or  indirectly  related  with  the  difficulties  between  the 
priests  and  Rosas,  but  rather  on  account  of  the  immoral 
conduct  of  Rosas,*  which  the  priests  held  up  to  the  light  in 
Mexico,  when  they  were  charged  with  being  the  promoters 
of  the  troubles  and  unrest  in  New  Mexico.  The  author 
believes  it  improper  because  the  event  was  of  a  private 
character  and  highly  scandalous,  to  give  it  in  detail  and  that 
it  will  be  best  for  history  mot  to  have  its  pages  stained  by 
consigning  in  them  incidents  of  such  a  nature. 

Administration  of  Penaloza. 

The  successors  of  Governor  Luis  Rosas  were  Valdez^ 
Heredia  Argiiello,  (re-appointed  as  w^e  have  said  before) 
Ugarte,  Concha,  Samaniego,  Pacheco  and  Mendizabal,  all  of 
them  having  governed  alternately,  from  1642  to  1660,  to  the 
end  of  the  year  and  date  on  which  Penaloza  assumed  the  gov- 
ernment. Concerning  the  events  that  happened  between  the 
epochs  of  1640  and  1660,  history  tells  us  nothing,  from  which 
the  author  gathers  that  nothing  happened  of  serious  moment, 
for  otherwise,  the  historians  of  those  times  would  have 
recorded  it  in  history.     Let  us  see  about  Penaloza: 

That  personage  was  sent  to  New  Mexico  as  successor  to 
Mendizabal,  who  had  been  obliged  to  resign  the  post  of  Gov- 
ernor because  the  father  Custodio  of  New  Mexico  had 
proffered,  and  proved,  serious  charges  against  him  tow^ards 
the  close  of  1660.     PeQaloza  assumed  the  command  in   the 

*  Bancroft  Ariz.,  &  New  Mex.  167. 


260  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

year  1661  and  acted  as  such  until  1664,  crowning  his  adminis- 
tration with  a  great  scandal.  He  was  an  enemy  of  truth, 
hated  justice  and  despised  virtue.  He  was  a  hyprocite,  a 
coward,  a  traitor,  and  consequently  a  liar,  as  Bancroft  calls 
him.*  During  the  three  years  and  few  months  of  his  ad- 
ministration he  did  nothing  to  justify  an  impartial  writer  in 
uttering  a  single  word  to  his  credit.  The  first  thing  he  did 
was  to  constitute  himself  a  real  dictator:  he  ignored  the  rights 
of  the  church;  imposed  upon  the  Indians  unbearable  punish- 
ments, collecting  from  them  exhorbitant  contributions,  and 
obliging  them  to  work  in  the  mines  without  just  compen- 
sation. The  Father  Custodio  did  not  approve  of-the  conduct  of 
Penaloza.  He  sent  to  Mexico  ppecitied  charges  against  him, 
which  resulted  not  only  in  his  removal,  but  in  being  called  to 
Mexico  in  1665  where  he  was  tried  and  the  charges  against 
him  proved.  He  was  sentenced  to  be  carried  about  the 
streets  of  the  City  of  Mexico  with  uncovered  head  and  a 
burning  taper  in  his  hands.  So  it  is  narrated  by  the  histo- 
rians Robles,  Alaman  and  Zamacois.  f 

Treachery  of  Penaloza. 

From  Mexico  Penaloza  started  for  France  and  England  in 
1671,  with  the  intention  of  organizing  an  army  to  possess 
himself  of  New  Mexico.  He  used  as  incentives  of  persuasion 
the  legends  he  had  composed  about  the  Grand  Quivira  and 
its  fabulous  riches,  for  which  purpose  he  had  stolen  from 
the  Archives  at  Santa  F6,  the  copy  of  the  notes  which  Onate 
had  made  about  his  voyage  to  Quivira  (ante)  and  by  changing 
dates  and  names  he  had  it  published  in  French  and  English, 
himself  appearing  as  the  hero  of  that  famous  voyage. :|:  He 
completely  failed  in  his  criminal  attempts,  being  sunk  in 
extreme  poverty,  and  died  as  the  most  miserable  of  criminals 
in  the  year  1687,  in  England  among  the  poor  and  helpless. 

Pefialoza  was  succeeded   by  Don  Fernando  de  Villanueva 

*  Bancroft  Arizona  and  New  Mexico. 

t  Bancroft  Arizona  and  New  Mexico. 

t  Prince  aftinns  in  his  ''History  of  New  Mexico"  that  Peiialoza 
did  in  effect  make  that  voyag-e  to  Quivira;  but  that  assertion  is  a  liis- 
torical  error  which  Piince  did  not  find  out  until  long  after  he  had 
published  his  said  work.     So  he  stated  it  to  me.— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATKO    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  HOI 

who  came  in  the  3^ear  l()t)4.  Villanueva  was  succeeded  by 
Medrano,  and  Medrano  by  Miranda,  the  three  governors 
covering  alternately  the  period  between  the  years  16(54  and 
1679.  The  events  which  during  those  lif teen  years  are  re- 
corded in  history  are  nothing  but  revolts,  mutinies,  and 
uprisings,  on  a  small  scale  but  as  they  form  part  of  history 
it  is  necessary  to  briefl^'  relate  them.  Before  going  any 
further  the  attention  of  the  reader  is  called  to  what  we  said 
in  another  part  of  this  work  respecting  the  error  of  some 
writers  who  affirm  that  the  true  uprising  of  1680,  occurred 
in  1644,  numbering  among  them,  Pino,  liarriero,  Fr.  Fi-ejes 
and  others.  Had  not  the  author  of  this  work  found  (in  the 
work  of  Villagra)  the  narration  of  Governor  Oterrain,  he 
might,  perhaps,  have  fallen  in  the  same  error.  But  that  error 
will  now  be  corrected,  even  if  the  mendacious  voyage  of  Peiia- 
loza  to  La  Quivira  has  been  published  as  a  real  fact. 

The  Mutinies  and  Revolts — Governor  Otermin  s  Over  Confident 
Father  Ayeta  Goes  to  Mexico. 
About  the  years  1645  and  1646  forty  Indians  charged  with 
murder  and  other  crimes  were  tried,  whipped  and  hanged. 
Serious  difficulties  subsequently  occurred  between  the 
Spaniards  and  the  Jemes  Indians  who  were  aided  by  the 
Apaches  (as  Otermin  says)  in  which  the  death  of  a  Spaniard 
was  the  result,  on  account  of  which  twenty  nine  Indians 
were  punished  with  imprisonment.  Complete  information 
concerning  all  that  was  happening  in  New  Mexico  having 
previously  reached  the  King,  the  latter  ordered  the  Viceroy 
to  examine  the  situation  with  precaution,  and  to  make  a 
correct,  strict  and  impartial  investigation  of  the  accusations 
and  recriminations  of  all  the  complainants.  In  1672  war 
broke  out  between  the  Apaches  and  the  Zuni  Indians  be- 
cause of  the  destruction  of  several  pueblos  by  the  Apaches. 
In  1675,  four  Indians  were  punished  with  death,  forty  three 
others  were  punished  publicly,  and  as  many  others  placed 
under  arrest  for  the  murder  of  several  priests  and  colonists. 
The  situation  grew  dail}'  more  alarming.  All  the  pueblos 
were  greatly  alarmed.  The  nomadic  tribes  on  the  other  hand 
had  threatened  the  annihilation  of  the  Spaniards.  In  1676  the 
Apaches  rose  in  open  war  rushing  all  of  a  sudden  upon  the 


262  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Spanish  settlements.  The  Spaniards  for  the  lack  of 
weapons,  endured  many  sufferings,  many  of  them  losing 
their  lives,  and,  in  addition,  many  of  the  churches  and  small 
settlements  were  destroyed  by  the  warlike  savages.  While 
matters  were  thus  going  from  bad  to  worse  in  New  Mexico, 
Father  Francisco  Ayeta,  Custodio  of  New  Mexico,  had  gone 
to  Mexico  in  quest  of  succor  and  protection,  all  of  which  he 
obtained,  but  it  was  of  no  use  because  he  could  not  return  to 
New  Mexico  at  the  opportune  moment.  In  1679  *  Governor 
Don  Antonio  de  Otermin  arrived,  a  little  before  the  revolution 
broke  out,  and  finding  matters  in  such  a  deplorable  state  set 
in  at  once  with  energy  to  the  task  of  re-establishing  peace,  a 
thing  in  which  he  was  able  to  succeed,  but  only  for  a  very 
short  time,  as  will  be  seen. 

General  Uprising  and  Expulsion   of  the  Spaniards — Pope  Heads  the 
Rebellion— 1680- 

A  year  after  the  coming  of  Governor  Otermin  the  cry  for  a 
general  uprising  was  given  by  the  Indians,  the  chief  being 
the  Indian  Pope,  native  of  the  Pueblo  of  San  Juan,  but  resid- 
ing at  the  Pueblo  of  Taos.  For  many  years  Pope  and  the 
chiefs  of  the  other  pueblos,  except  the  Pueblo  of  Pecos  who 
had  declined  to  take  part  in  the  insurrection,  had  been  plotting 
together  the  conspiracy  which  had  for  its  object  the  expulsion 
of  the  Spaniards. 

Concerning  the  infernal  machinations  of  Pop6  and  the  other 
conspirators,  Otermin  had  no  direct  knowledge  until  it  was 
impossible  to  offer  effectual  resistance.  Such  was  the  abso- 
lute secret  the  Indians  kept  about  it.  The  plan  was  formed 
in  such  a  manner  that,  at  the  hour  and  day  agreed  upon,  all 
the  pueblos  had  to  strike  the  blow  all  over  the  country  by 
killing  all  the  Spaniards,  without  regard  to  persons,  sexes, 
and  ages,  including  the  priests  and  families.  In  spite  of 
all  that  there  were  not  wanting  friendly  Indians,  who  secretly 
came  and  informed  the  Spaniards  of  what  was  being  plotted 
against  them,  but  the  Spaniards,  depending  on  Pope's  false 

*  Many    authors  say   that  Otermin    came    in    1(J7H,  but   that  is  an 
error,  as  we  have  already  said.— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  263 

friendship,  did  not  believe  the  report.  The  Pecos  Indians 
through  their  chief,  Juan  Ye,  gave  Otermin  opportune 
advice,  but  Otermin  would  not  believe  them  either.  Ye  him- 
self offered  Father  Velasco,  who  was  in  charge  of  that  pueblo, 
an  escort  of  Indians  to  take  him  to  a  place  beyond  danger, 
but  the  good  priest  answered  that  he  preferred  to  die  like  a 
martyr,  than  to  abandon  the  souls  which  God  had  entrusted 
to  his  care.  Pop^  exercised  an  almost  superhuman  influence 
on  the  other  Indians;  he  had  told  them  that  he  and  the  devil 
were  in  pact  in  the  uprising,  and  that,  soon  after  the  expul- 
sion of  the  Spaniards,  he  w^ould  organize  a  great  empire. 
Pope's  captains  were  Catiti,  of  Santo  Domingo,  Tupatii,  (who 
afterwards  became  a  loyal  fi-iend  of  De  Vargas,  as  will  be 
seen  in  another  part  of  this  work),  of  Picuris;  Jaca  (who 
secretly  hated  Pope),  of  Taos.  The  thirteenth  day  of  August 
was  the  day  fixed  to  commence  the  awful  butchery.  In  July, 
notice  was  given  to  all  the  pueblos  of  w4iat  had  been  agreed, 
so  that  all  should  fall  upon  the  incautious  Spaniards  at  the 
same  hour.  There  remained  yet  in  Taos  a  friend  to  the 
Spaniards.  It  was  the  very  same  Jaca,  governor  of  the 
pueblo. 

Jaca  sent  a  flying  courier  to  Otermin  appraising  him  to 
save  his  life  and  the  lives  of  the  other  Spaniards,  and  advis- 
ing him  that  at  the  Pueblo  of  Tesuque  were  two  Indians  who 
had  gone  to  the  provinces  of  Los  Tanos  and  Queres  with 
instructions  from  Pop^  to  carry  into  effect  the  conspiracy. 
It  was  then  that  Otermin  realized  the  seriousness  of  the 
situation,  and,  at  the  moment,  caused  the  two  Indians  at 
Tesuque  to  be  imprisoned,  the  said  Indians  confessed  the 
whole  plan.  Otermin  at  once  sent  couriers  to  all  the  settle- 
ments and  to  all  the  priests  of  what  was  being  plotted  so  they 
all  should  concentrate  at  Santa  F6.  Pope  learned  that  the 
conspiracy  had  been  discovered  and  hastened  the  day  of  its 
execution  giving  orders  to  strike  the  blow  on  August  10th, 
(1680),  before  daybreak.  So  it  was  done,  causing  the  death 
of  a  great  number  of  priests  and  colonists,  the  departure  of 
Otermin  and  the  other  Spaniards  and  some  families,  and  the 
destruction  of  all  that  had  been  done  and  gained  since  the 
coming  of  Ofiate. 


264  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Assault — Heroism   of  the   Spaniards — Siege  of  the  City — Otermin  is 
Wounded — Departure  From  the  City. 

In  addition  to  the  confession  of  the  two  Indians  of  Tesuque, 
and,  with  a  view  that  what  had  been  told  him  should  be  con- 
firmed,  Otermin  sent  out  a  party  under  Captain  Gomez  to 
ascertain  the  truth.  Gomez  returned  in  great  haste  and 
informed  the  governor  that,  unfortunately,  everything  was 
certain,  and  that,  from  every  direction,  Indians  were 
coming  ready  to  tight.  The  next  day  Gomez's  account  was 
confirmed,  with  the  arrival  of  nearly  two  thousand  Indians, 
who,  with  their  warlike  demonstrations,  left  no  room  to 
doubt  that  their  purpose  was  to  kill  the  Spaniards.  Otermin 
used  much  prudence  and  wonderful  tirmness  during  the 
interviews  held,  at  the  solicitation  of  the  Indians,  between 
Pope  and  himself,  the  whole  affair  ending  with  an  ultimatum, 
which,  in  the  form  of  crosses,  one  white  and  one  black,  the 
Indians  sent  to  Otermin  to  choose  from  both,  that  he  might 
thus  select,  either  his  death,  or  his  salvation.  They  ordered 
him  to  keep  either  of  the  two  crosses;  if  he  kept  the  white 
one,  he  would  be  permitted  to  go  out  with  his  people  without 
any  damage;  if  he  took  the  black  one,  it  would  be  to  them  an 
indication  of  war.  Otermin  kept  neither  of  them,  but,  as 
he  saw  the  city  was  well  besieged,  and  that,  in  order  to  get 
out  of  it,  a  desperate  struggle  was  necessary,  he  resolved  to 
force  his  way  out,  the  next  day,  the  l6th  of  August.  He  pre- 
arranged, the  night  before,  everything  necessary  to  take  the 
dangerous  step  at  break  of  day,  the  16th.  So  it  was  done. 
At  break  of  day,  the  Spaniards  began  their  march,  with  their 
families,  but  as  the  Indians  had  sentries  watching  the  move- 
ments of  the  Spaniards,  at  the  first  move  of  the  latter,  the 
cry  of  alarm  was  given,  and  the  hordes  of  savages  rushed 
immediately  upon  the  troops  and  the  rest  of  the  people. 
Otermin  had  only  150  soldiers;  but,  despite  the  insignificant 
number,  he  and  his  handful  of  braves  fought  with  an  unheard 
of  valor.  The  terrible  and  unequal  contest  lasted  until  very 
late,  Otermin  being  obliged  to  order  a  retreat  at  sundown  in 
order  to  give  the  troops  time  to  recuperate,  and  gather  the 
few  dead  and  give  them  burial.  On  the  side  of  the  Indians 
the  mortality  was  frightful.     Otermin  and   the  rest  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OP^    NKW    MEXICO.  2();) 

people  passed  the  night  entrenched  in  the  building  which 
exists  even  to  this  day,  and  which  is  known  by  the  pompous 
name  of  "Palacic)''  (the  Palace).  The  total  number  of  the 
Spaniards,  including  men,  w^omen  and  children,  reached  one 
thousand,  whence  it  may  be  seen  how  clogged  together  they 
must  have  been  within  the  building.  There  the  Spaniards 
stayed,  in  that  painful  situation,  for  tive  days,  courageously 
resisting  the  assaults  of  the  maddened  barbarians. 

During  those  tive  days  the  Indians  destroyed  by  fire  the 
convent,  the  church  and  all  the  residence  houses,  and  finally 
cut  off  the  water  that  the  Spaniards  drank.  Things  had 
reached  the  point  at  which  the  duty  was  imposed  upon  the 
Spaniards  to  take  the  resolve  of  breaking  the  siege  or  to 
perish  each  and  all.  Otermin  ordered  Fathers  G6mez, 
Duran  and  Farfan,  to  give  the  soldiers  and  the  rest  of  the 
people  their  last  exhortation  and  grant  them  absolution. 
The  priests,  always  ready  to  die  for  their  God  and  countrj^ 
complied  with  the  painful  duty  without  a  murmur,  rather 
encouraging  the  combatants  to  shed  their  last  drop  of  blood 
before  surrendering.  When  the  imposing  ceremony  ended, 
the  army,  was  formed  in  battle  array,  composed  of  the  one 
hundred  soldiers  that  were  still  living,  among  them  many 
wounded,  with  Otermin  at  the  head,  making  the  assault  upon 
the  Indians  with  such  agility  that  after  a  most  stubborn 
struggle  of  four  hours  the  Spaniards  were  victorious  leaving 
more  than  300  hundred  Indians  dead  upon  the  field  of  battle 
without  any  further  loss  on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards  than 
one  dead  soldier  and  several  wounded,  Governor  Otermin 
being  one  of  them,  having  received  a  wound  on  the  breast. 
Forty  Indians  were  made  prisoners  and  immediately  put  to 
death.     This  happened  on  August  23rd,  1680* 

Encouraged  by  such  a  brilliant  victory  the  Spaniards  deter- 
mined the  same  day  (August  23)  to  undertake  their  departure 
for  El  Paso  del  Norte,  almost  all  of  them  going  on  foot  and 
carrying  on  their  shoulders  their  provisions,  and  the  few 
effects  they  w^ere  able  to  carry.  They  arrived  at  El  Paso  on 
December  the  20th,  1680.  What  the  Spaniards  suffered  in  their 
long  journey  we  shall  treat  in  the  next  chapter,  in  which  the 
reader  will  be  given  almost  textually  the  words  of  Otermin. 

*See  "Appendix  third  to  Villagra. "'  Vol.  2. 


CHAPTER  IIL 


Uprising  of  the  Indians  and  Departure  of  Otermin — Direction  Towards 
Paso  del  Norte — What  Follows  was  Taken  From  Otermin's  Nar- 
rative  Found  Published  as  Appendix  3rd  to  Volume  2  of  Villagra, 
Page  11  et  Seq. 

1680. 


On  August  23  in  the  year  1680,  as  the  army  was  stopping  at 
the  creek  of  San  Marcos,  (some  20  or  25  miles  South  of  Santa 
F6)  the  soldiers  brought  in  an  Indian  called  Antonio  whom 
they  had  taken  prisoner.  Evidently,  this  Indian  was  a  spy, 
at  least  the  Spaniards  thought  so.  Otermin  swore  him  that 
he  might  tell  under  oath  all  he  knew  about  the  uprising,  he 
said:  "that  he  was  caught,  at  a  cornfield,  where  he  attempted 
to  hide  himself,  by  Ambrosio  Carabajal  and  that  his  having  es- 
caped from  Casas  Reales  (Royal  Palace)  was  due  to  his  judging 
thatthe  S  paniards  were  about  to  perish  with  the  Lord  Governor 
and  Captain  General,  and  in  case  they  were  not  vanquished 
by  the  Indians  they  would  take  him  as  witness  to  another 
country,  and  he  did  not  want  to  go  out  of  this  land;  and  that 
on  that  night  he  had  not  found  a  single  person  known  to  him 
among  the  uprisen  (insurrectos),  and  the  next  day  went  to  the 
villa  (Santa  Fe)  because  he  had  heard  that  the  Lord  Governor 
and  all  his  people  were  coming,  and  having  arrived  at  the 
villa  he  found  within  and  without  the  Casas  Reales  (Royal 
Palace)  a  great  number  of  Indians  who  were  plundering 
Casas  Reales,  taking  much  of  the  property  which  had  been 
left  by  the  Spaniards,  and  that  he  also  noticed  and  saw  In- 
dians of  all  nations  of  which  quite  a  number  were  from  Taos 
and  Picuris,  and  that  he  had  heard  an  Indian  from  Tesuque 
called  Roque,  who  told  him  that  he  having  seen  a  great  num- 
ber of  Indians  dead  in  the  Plaza  of  the  Villa,  in  the  houses, 
streets  and  surroundings,  that  the  said  uprisen  had  said: 
"We  are  even  with  the  Spaniards  in  the  persons  we  have 
killed  of  them  and  those  which  the  Spaniards  have  killed 
from  us;  it  matters  not  that  they  go,  for  we  shall  live  now  as 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  267 

we  like,  and  will  settle  on  this  villa  (town  of  Santa  F6)  and 
wherever  we  may  see  tit;"  and  that  the  said  Indian  also  told 
him  that  all  the  rebellious  people  were  planningto  get  together 
in  a  narrow  passage  in  the  road  by  the  Kio  del  Norte  and 
near  the  house  of  Crist6bal  Anaya,  and  rush  upon  the  Span- 
iards and  the  Indians  who  had  gone  with  them  to  see  if  they 
could  do  them  up;  that  this  witness  saw  in  the  houses  of  the 
Villa  and  in  Casas  Reales,  Nicolds  de  la  Cruz,  whom  they  call 
"Yonva"'  who  came  there  on  horseback,  and  that  he  was  in 
the  Villa  with  the  rest;  that  said  affair  was  not  finished  on 
that  day,  and  this  witness  came  to  the  house  and  cornfields  of 
his  master  where  he  was  caught;  that  he  neither  knew  nor  saw 
anything  more  than  what  he  has  said,  that  it  is  true,  accord- 
ing to  the  oath  he  made,  which  he  affirmed  and  ratified  upon 
this  statement  being  read  to  him.  He  didn't  know  his  age, 
nor  how  to  sign  his  name.  (He  must  be  over  60  years  a  little 
more  or  less  to  judge  from  his  appearance)  "Signed  by  his 
Lordship,  with  the  Alcalde,  Juan  Lucero  de  Godoy.  The 
chief  sergeant,  Luis  de  Quintana.  By  and  before  me  clerk 
of  the  government  and  of  war.  Don  Antonio  de  Ofermin,  (Sig.)' 
Juan  Lucero  de  Godoy,  (Sig.).  Before  me,  Francisco  Xavier, 
Clerk  of  the  Government  and  War." 

Bodies  of  Murdered  Fathers  Found. 
The  next  day,  the  24th,  the  army  continued  its  march.  At 
Santo  Domingo  they  found  the  dead  bodies  of  Fathers  Fr. 
Juan  de  Talaban,  Fr.  Francisco  Antonio  de  Lorenzana,  and 
Fr.  Jos6  Montes  de  Oca,  who  had  been  murdered  the  night 
before.  They  buried  them  and  gathering  the  sacerdotal 
vestments,  continued  their  march,  picking  up  the  corpses 
of  the  murdered  Spaniards  who  lived  in  the  lower  country. 
At  all  settlements  where  the  army  passed  they  had  to  stop 
to  bury  the  dead  bodies  they  found  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren. Between  the  place  called  "Paraje"  (near  Bernalillo), 
an  Indian  joined  the  army  from  the  nation  Tanos  (Galisteo). 
That  Indian,  also,  was  interrogated  by  Otermin,  after  having 
taken  the  oath,  concerning  the  uprising.  The  Indian  said: 
"That  this  witness  was  in  the  service  of  Captain  Jose  Nieto, 
because  he  was  born  and  raised  at  his  (Nieto's)  house  and 
that  a  few  days  before  he  had  heard  that  two  Tegua  Indians^ 


268  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

natives  of  the  pueblo  of  Tesuque,  had  arrived  at  the  pueblo 
of  San  Cristobal,  sent  out  there  by  the  Tegua  Indians,  tell- 
ing them  to  rise  up,  that  all  the  other  pueblos  were  already 
agreed  upon  that,  and  that  at  this  time  the  order  was  divulged 
among  the  captains  of  the  Teguas,  and  also  that  on  that 
night  advice  was  sent  by  the  Indians  of  San  Crist6bal  to 
those  of  San  Lorenzo  to  inform  them  of  the  uprising;  that 
Father  Custodio  advised  the  master  of  this  witness  and  the 
other  Spaniards  who  gathered  together  at  said  pueblo  of 

,  and  that  while  this  witness  was  hoeing  a  corn 

field  the  next  day  at  the  farm  of  his  master,  which  is  about  a 
league  from  the  pueblo  of  Galisteo,  he  saw  coming  towards 
the  place  where  this  witness  was,  an  Indian  called  Barto- 
lome,  head  singer  of  the  pueblo  of  Galisteo,  who  arrived 
there  crying  and  told  him:  "What are  you  doing  here?  For 
the  Indians  want  to  kill  the  Custodio,  and  the  padres,  and 
the  Spaniards,  and  have  said  that  the  Indian  who  shall  kill  a 
Spaniard  will  have  an  Indian  woman  for  a  wife;  and  whoever 
shall  kill  four  shall  have  four  wives,  and  he  who  shall  kill 
ten  or  more  shall  have  as  many  women;  and  they  have  said 
tliat  they  have  to  kill  all  the  servants  of  the  Spaniards  and 
all  who  speak  the  Castilian;  and  they  have  also  commanded 
to  take  away  from  all  of  them  their  rosaries  and  to  burn 
them;  begone,  begone,  for  perhaps  you  will  have  the  luck  to 
arrive  where  the  Spaniards  are  and  you  might  escape  with 
your  wife  and  the  orphan  you  have."  And  being  asked  for 
what  reason  they  had  caused  the  uprising,  he  said:  "That 
the  said  singer  told  him  that  because  they  were  exhausted 
by  the  work  they  had  to  do  for  the  Spaniards  and  the  relig- 
ious, and  because  they  did  not  let  rhem  plant  nor  do  other 
things  they  were  in  need  of,  and  because  they  ill  treated 
them  they  had  insurrected;  that  afterwards  he  had  learned 
from  another  companion  that  in  the  pueblo  of  Galisteo  the 
Father  Custodio,  Fr.  Domingo  de  Vera,  had  been  murdered, 
and  that  at  the  camp,  in  sight  of  the  pueblo,  the  Fathers  Fr, 
Fernando  de  Velasco  and  Fr.  Manuel  Tinoco,  minister  guar- 
dian of  Pecos  and  San  Marcos,  had  also  been  killed;  and  that 
he  saw  that  the  said  Indians  took  possession  of  the  stock  and 
things  of  the  convent,  and  that  in  like   manner  said  Indians 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  269 

killed  Captain  Jos(5  Nieto,  Juan  de  Lesba,  and  Nicolds  Leyba, 
and  robbed  them  of  their  belongings,  killed  their  wives  and 
children,  reserving  for  themselves  three  of  the  said  women; 
that  after  this  the  Indians  from  the  pueblos  of  Tegua,  Pecos 
and  San  Marcos  went  to  tight  at  the  Villa,  and  because  they 
(the  Spaniards)  had  killed  six  Tegua  Indians  from  Galisteo, 
and  many  returned  wounded,  with  broken  arms  and  legs 
and  other  wounds,  the  Indians  of  the  pueblo  got  angry  and 
killed  the  said  three  women,  called  Lucia,  Maria  and  Juana; 
and  that  in  the  same  manner  he  learned  how  they  had  killed 
another  damsel  called  Dorotea,  a  daughter  of  the  aide  de 
camp,  Pedro  de  Leyva,  and  that  the  said  singer  had  told 
him  also  that  from  the  Teguas  they  had  brought  an  order 
and  also  from  the  Indians  of  Taos,  Picuris  and  Yutas  saying 
that  the  Indian  or  pueblo  who  would  not  rise  up  in  revolt 
would  be  destroyed  by  them,  and  that  for  this  reason,  and 
he  being  a  Christian,  he  had  come  by  the  road  of  Santo 
Domingo  to  overtake  the  governor  and  the  people  that  came 
marching  with  his  Lordship,  and  at  the  sight  of  the  encamp- 
ment the  Indians  of  Santo  Domingo  came  out  on  horseback 
and  took  from  him  his  wife  and  the  Indian  woman,  and  he 
escaped  in  order  to  meet  the  Spaniards  who  were  coming  in 
the  rearguard,  and  would  favor  him;  that  what  he  has  said  is 
the  truth  of  what  he  learned  and  saw  according  to  his  oath, 
which  he  affirmed  and  ratified,  this  his  statement  being  read 
to  him.  He  declared  he  knew  not  his  age  nor  how  to  sign. 
(He  must  be,  according  to  his  appearance,  thirty  years,  a 
little  more  or  less).  Signed  by  his  Lordship.  I  attest:  Don 
Antonio  de  Otermin  (Sig.)  Before  me,  Francisco  Xavier, 
Clerk  of  Government  and  War." 

Otermin  went  on  to  the  pueblo  of  Isleta  meeting  with  an 
Indian  on  the  road  (who  was  also  made  prisoner  by  the 
■Spaniards):  This  Indian  told  the  Spaniards  that  the  religious 
of  Zandia,  Jemez,  and  Isleta  and  all  the  Spaniards  of  those 
pueblos  and  their  surrounding  had  congregated  at  Isleta  and 
from  there  set  out  for  El  Paso  del  Norte.  Otermin  detained 
the  Indian  in  order  to  interrogate  him  aftervvards  and  sent 
an  escort  to  overtake  those  who  had  marched  out  of  Isleta, 
according  to  what  the  Indian  had  said,  that  they  might  wait 


:270  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

for  the  arm3^  At  San  Cristobal  the  army  overtook  those 
who  had  left  Isleta,  and  thence  all  of  them  together  continued 
the  march. 

At  the  stopping  place  which  Otermin  called  "Lamilla," 
(known  today  by  the  name  of  "Alamillo,"  in  the  county  of 
Socorro, — the  Author),  Otermin  had  the  Indian  brought 
before  him  to  be  questioned,  who  after  being  sworn,  declared: 
"That  he  was  Don  Pedro  Gamboa,  or  Namboa,  native  of  the 
Pueblo  of  Alameda,  a  widower,  and  his  age  over  80  years;" 
being  asked  why  the  Indians  had  risen  in  revolt  refusing 
obedience  to  His  Majesty,  and  failing  in  their  duties  as 
Christians,  he  said:  "that  since  long  ago,  because  the  Span- 
iards punished  the  wizards  and  idolaters,  the  nations  of  the 
Teguas,  Taos,  Picuris,  Pecos,  and  Jemez  consulted  about 
uprising  and  kilhng  the  Spaniards  and  religious  and  that, 
until  the  present  time,  they  had  been  arranging  the  execu- 
tion of  the  plan;"'  being  asked  what  he  knew,  saw  and  heard 
in  the  meeting  and  consultations  held  by  the  Indians,  and 
what  had  been  said  among  them,  and  tor  what  reason  the 
Indians  of  the  Pueblo  of  Zandia  had  burned  the  church,  and 
outraged  the  images,  he  said:  "That  he  had  never  been  in 
any  meeting,  nor  does  he  know  any  more;  that  what  he  had 
heard  is  that  the  Indians  do  not  want  any  religious  or 
Spaniards  and  that  because  he  is  so  old  he  stayed  in  the 
corn  field.  That  he  learned  from  the  Indians  who  came  from 
the  other  land  that  they  had  killed  the  Spaniards  and  had 
stolen  all  their  properties  and  plundered  their  houses;"  and 
when  asked  if  he  knew  anything  about  the  Spaniards  who 
are  together  at  the  Pueblo  of  Isleta,  he  said:  "That  it  is  true 
that,  some  days  ago,  they  had  gathered  in  said  Pueblo  of 
Isleta,  and  that  the  Spaniards,  have  been  going  out  of  the 
kingdom,  taking  along  their  properties,  and  that  they  (the 
Indians)  did  not  tight  with  them  (the  Spaniards),  because  all 
the  people  had  gone  with  the  rest  to  fight  at  the  Villa  (Santa 
F^)  and  to  finish  up  the  governor  and  captain  general  and  his 
people  and  he  declared  that  the  feeling  all  the  Indians  have 
in  their  hearts  against  the  Spaniards  is  very  great,  since 
this  kingdom  was  discovered,  because  the  Spaniards  and 
the  religious  have  been  removing  their  idols,  witcheries,  and 
idolatries;  for  those  ancient  things  have  been  inherited  from 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  271 

their  old  ancestors,  from  generation  to  generation  and  he 
had  heard  this  feehng  expressed  since  he  came  to  the  use  of 
liis  reason;  that  what  he  has  said  is  the  truth  and  what  he 
knows,  according  to  the  oath  he  has  made,  which  he  affirmed 
and  ratified  the  same  having  been  read  and  interpreted  to 
liim  tlirough  tlie  interpreter  of  Captain  Montaflo,  who  signed 
it  with  his  Lordship  because  the  Indian  did  not  know  how 
to  write."  "Before  me  the  acting  clerk  Don  Antonio  de 
Otermin.  {Sig)  Before  me:  Francisco  Xavier,  clerk  of  Govern- 
ment and  War."* 

*  See  Villaj^ra's  app.  3,  pp  ll»-20. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


First  Voyage  of  De  Vargas,  1692. 

The  reader  is  informed  before  hand  that  the  narrative  we 
shall  give  with  reference  to  what  occured  between  the  years 
1680,  the  year  of  the  expulsion  of  Otermin,  and  1692  when 
De  Vargas  made  his  first  voyage  to  New  Mexico,  is  taken, 
more  or  less  textually  from  the  narrative  given  and  published 
by  Don  Carlos  de  Siguenza  y  Gongora,  in  the  year  169H,  or 
one  year  after  the  Srst  entry  of  De  Vargas  into  New  Mexico, 
w^hich  narrative  was  published  in  Mexico,  that  year,  under 
the  title  of  "Mercurio  Volante." 

Two  reasons  induced  the  author  of  this  work  to  give  intact, 
the  narrative  of  said  voyage  of  De  Vargas  to-wit:  First, 
he  considered  it  so  correct  that,  to  add  to,  or  subtract  from 
it,  would  be  a  blunder;  and  second,  that  the  only  way  of  pre- 
serving so  precious  an  account  of  the  most  brilliant  episode 
in  the  history  of  New  Mexico  for  the  coming  generations,  is 
to  perpetuate  it  in  history  for,  in  our  own  epoch,  the  work 
referred  to  "el  Mercurio  Volante,"  can  no  longer  be  found, 
how  much  more  difficult,  then,  will  it  be  to  find  it  some  years 
hence?  Before  beginning  the  story  of  De  Vargas'  voyage  it 
is  indispensable  that  we  become  acquainted  with  what  took 
place  between  the  years  1680  and  1692  so  as  to  close  the  gap 
between  these  two  dates  without  breaking  the  thread  of  our 
history. 

Otermin 's  Second  Entry. 

With  the  desire  of  returning  to  New  Mexico  to  reconquer 
the  territory,  Otermin  made,  in  1681,  a  voyage  with  nearly 
200  soldiers,  coming  as  far  as  the  Pueblos  of  Isleta  and  Cochiti, 
without  obtaining  anything  more,  according  to  Siguenza,  than 
the  "imprisonment  of  some  of  the  Indians  who  had  outshone 
in  the  uprising.*'  With  that  voyage  Otermin's  endeavors 
came  to  an  end.  He  was  succeeded  by  Don  Domingo  Gironza 
Petris  de  Cruzat,  who  made  seventeen  campaigns  from  El 
Paso  del  Norte  to  the  pueblos  of  New    Mexico  "without 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  278 

results,  except  a  few  insigniticant  victories,  and  the  entailing 
of  much  damage  to  the  properties  of  the  Indians,"  who  sought 
the  hiding  places  of  the  sierras  whenever  they  felt  the 
approach  or  arrival  of  the  Spaniards. 

Reneros  Succeeds  Cruzal — Battle  of  Zia. 
Cruzat  was  succeeded  by  Don  Pedro  Reneros  de  Posada, 
who,  in  1087,  in  his  last  campaign  "desolated  the  small  Pueblo 
of  Santa  Ana.'  The  next  year,  1687,  Cruzat  succeeded  Posada, 
and  again  undertook  a  bitter  war  against  the  rebellious 
Indians.  Since  his  departure  from  Paso  del  Norte  to  his 
arrival  at  the  Pueblo  of  Zia,  Cruzpt  fought  his  way  continually, 
at  times  with  the  Apaches,  and  at  other  times  with  the  pueblo 
[ndians,  with  victory  always  on  his  side.  In  the  battle  fought, 
August  1st,  l()8y,  at  Zia,  Cruzat  met  most  determined  and 
stubborn  resistance.  He  was  there  opposed  by  a  great 
number  of  Indians  from  all  the  province.  The  battle  lasted 
an  entire  day  "leaving  by  evening  no  less  than  600  Indians 
dead  in  the  combat,  and  many  others  who  were  burned  alive." 
(Sigiienza)  Thence  Cruzat  returned  to  El  Paso,  where  he 
learned  that  his  successor,  Don  Diego  de  Vargas  Zapata 
Lujan  Ponce  de  Le6n,  would  soon  arrive  to  relieve  him. 

De  Vargas'  Celebrated  Voyage — 1692. 

After  many  delays  in  selecting  the  person  to  whom  the 
reconquest  might  be  entrusted  the  Viceroy,  the  Count  of 
Galva  chose  very  judiciously  the  very  famous  General  Don 
Diego  de  Vargas  Zapata  Lujan  Ponce  de  Leon.  This  General 
commenced  immediately  after  his  appointment,  to  recruit 
together  the  necessary  number  of  people  and  to  gather 
ammunitions  of  war  and  food  provisions  at  El  Paso,  the  place 
in  which  a  re-info rcement  of  Spanish  troops  was  to  join  him. 
As  the  troops  did  not  arrive  on  the  day  they  were  expected, 
De  Vargas  did  not  care  to  wait  for  them  any  longer  because 
autumn  had  now  set  in.  Let  us  allow  Vargas,  through 
Sigiienza  to  give  us  his  own  narrative: 

"HavingwaiteduntilAug.  21,1692,  for  a  troopof  fifty  Spanish 
auxiliaries,  who  according  to  this  arrangement,  had  to  come 
from  the  Presidios  (garrisons)  of  Parral,  in  order  to  enroll 
the  small  number  of  people  with   which  the  entry  was  being 


274  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

made,  Don  Diego,  impatient  at  such  delay  and  accompanied 
by  only  a  squad  of  the  company  of  El  Paso  and  three 
rehgious,  Fr.  Corvero,  Fr.  Niinez,  and  Fr.  Alonza,  started 
from  this  place,  the  same  day  to  incorporate  himself  with 
the  main  body  of  the  camp  which,  with  the  baggage  and  live 
stock  was  already  traveling  under  Captain  Roque  de 
Madrid,  since  the  16th  of  the  month  through  lands  of  the 
enemy.  At  six  o'clock  of  the  24th  he  overtook  them  and 
marching  with  caution  and  the  spies  which  were  needed 
in  that  country  without  coming  in  sight  of  any  living  thing, 
the  camp  took  lodgment  on  the  9th  of  September,  in  a  village 
absolutely  ruined  in  which,  'I  do  not  know  what  Mexia  had 
at  his  stockranch."  This  point  seemed  to  him  tit  for  dis- 
engaging himself  of  some  portion  of  the  equipage,  and  for 
making  thenceforth  the  marches  without  so  much  hindrance; 
and  fortifying  it,  with  all  diligence  by  means  of  stockades, 
Captain  Rafael  Tellez  with  14  Spaniards  and  50  Indians  was 
ordered  to  remain  there.  At  three  o'clock  the  next  day, 
with  only  40  Spaniards  and  50  Indians,  all  men  of  resolution 
and  well  armed,  the  General  left  his  ranch  of  Mexia  to  strike 
a  day  break  blow  to  the  pueblo  of  Cochiti,  distant  18  leagues 
from  that  point.  At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  our  men 
found  themselves  at  the  suburbs  of  the  pueblo,  unhindered 
by  the  distance,  which  seemed  greater  on  account  of  the 
roughness  of  the  road,  nor  (delayed)  by  reason  of  having 
crossed  twice  the  Rio  del  Norte  which  was  almost  unfordable, 
Althougli  the  grain  fields  that  were  near  it  (the  pueblo)  gave 
the  impression  that  Indians  were  there,  it  was  discovered 
after  a  little  search  that  the  pueblo  was  deserted.  That  the 
night  vigil mightnotbefruitless,  thegeneral,inferringthatthe 
inhabitants  ofCochitimighthave  retired  to  the  pueblo  of  Santo 
Domingo,  distant  the  one  from  the  other  about  three  leagues, 
he  and  his  men,  after  changing  horses,  appeared  before  that 
pueblo  a  little  after  sunrise.  What  was  formerly  the  plaza 
vras  found  well  fortified,  and  most  of  the  dwellings  com- 
pletely ruined  without  any  indication  of  having  had  recent 
dwellers.  It  had  not  been  known  that  from  the  time  when 
governor  Don  Domingo  Jironza  destroyed  Zia  and  caused  a 
great  deal  more  damage  when  he  routed  the  ten  nations,  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MP^XICO.  275 

inhabitants  of  these  pueblos  had  withdrawn  to  the  mountain 
ridges  or  the  general  would  have  passed  along  without 
arriving  at  them." 

Precipitate  March  of  De  Vargas  to  Santa  Fe — Singular  and  Unexpected 
Success  in  its  Surrender — September  14,  1692. 

The  narrative  follows: 

"The  distance  from  here  (Santo  Domingo)  to  the  Villa  of 
Santa  P^,  capital  of  all  this  kingdom,  is  only  ten  leagues;  the 
presumption  that  the  rebels  were  there  well  fortified  was 
sufficient  for  not  investing,  or  even  coming  in  sight  of  it  late 
in  the  day,  the  valiant  general,  not  unnerved  by  the  very  insig- 
nificant number  of  persons  he  had  with  him,  and  undaunted 
by  the  possibility  of  getting  succors,  determined  to  fall  upon 
it  by  daybreak.  He  proposed  this  decision  to  his  men  who 
applauded  it;  and,  as  in  order  to  succeed  in  resolutions  of  that 
character,  there  are  .no  better  means  than  to  put  them  into 
execution  at  the  verj^  instant  they  are  conceived,  he  set  out 
thence  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  the 
eleventh.  He  found  the  road  almost  blotted  out  through 
abandonment,  and  after  traveling  only  three  leagues,  neces- 
sity obliged  him  to  camp  for  the  night  at  the  foot  of  a  sierra. 
They  traveled  three  leagues  the  next  day,  and  they  halted  at 
Cieneguilla,  a  dilapidated  pueblo,  and  despatching  some 
Spanish  scouts,  and  some  friendly  Indians  to  watch  the 
hillocks,  in  the  direction  of  the  villa,  it  was  not  possible  to  see 
nor  to  capture  any  of  the  rebels  although  fresh  tracks  of 
their  horses  were  found. 

"At  sundown,  after  a  short  but  Christian  exhortation  to  his 
troops  the  general  mounted  his  horse,  and  the  army  marched 
in  silence  and  with  vigilance  until  eleven  o'clock  when  the 
thickness  of  the  woods  and  the  darkness  of  the  night  pre- 
vented any  further  progress.  At  two  in  the  morning  the 
march  was  resumed  and  by  the  shelter  of  a  deserted  farm- 
house, where  they  had  stopped,  Fr.  Francisco  Corvera, 
absolved  all  those  in  the  camp,  and  offered  to  God  and  his 
most  holy  mother  a  devout  prayer,  and  the  orders  of  what 
was  to  be  done  being  intimated  by  the  general,  we  took  the 
road  to  the  Villa  (Santa  F6)  which  was  now  near. 


276  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Santa  Fe  is  Reached. 

"It  must  have  been  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  13th 
of  September  when  they  came  in  sight  of  the  villa  and  at  this 
hour  they,  the  Indians,  doubtless  had  sentries  for  they  had 
already  sounded  the  alarm.  The  whole  place  was  found  walled 
and  with  intrenchments,  and  especially  the  place  used  by  them 
as  a  fortress,  which  was  the  ancient  palace  oj  the  governors:  and 
raising  a  frightful  yell  in  order  to  give  themselves  courage 
the  wall  was  crowned,  on  every  part  with  an  infinite  multi- 
tude of  Indians.  While  they  were  employed  in  this,  and  in 
bringing  thick  beams  and  logs  and  large  stones  to  prevent 
our  men  from  getting  near  to  them,  the  water  was  cut  off  to 
them,  which  was  carried  in  through  a  ditch.  Having  accom- 
plished this,  which  was  no  small  thing,  a  trumpeteer  was  sent 
to  assu  re  them  of  pardon  and  to  offer  them  great  conveniences 
if  they  would  give  themselves  up;  they  all  answered  in  one 
voice:  and  with  derisions  repeatedly  thanked  the  Spaniards 
for  coming  into  their  houses,  like  madmen,  saying  without 
much  trouble,  we  would  all  perish,  therein. 

"By  this  time  divers  troops  of  Indians  were  noticed  over 
the  mountain  ridge  some  on  horseback,  and  others  on  foot, 
but  all  armed,  who,  had  not  come  from  theneighboring  pueb 
los  on  business,  but  to  the  aid  of  the  Villa  which  shows  that 
they  had  had  notice  of  its  being  in  danger.  Some  of  our 
squads  went  to  oppose  them,  and  without  any  remarkable  out- 
break some  of  them  were  made  prisoners,  and  among  the 
prisoners  (notable  luck)  was  their  Governor  whose  name  was 
Domingo.  When  brought  before  the  General,  the  latter,  by 
means  of  caresses  and  good  reasoning,  captured  his  good  will, 
so  that  he  (Domingo)  entered  the  Villa,  and  assured  his  peo- 
ple that  it  was  not  the  purpose  of  the  Spaniards  to  punish 
them,  but  only  to  bring  them  back  to  the  fold  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  from  which  their  apostacy  held  them  apart,  and  also 
to  the  obedience,  which  through  their  uprising,  they  had 
denied  to  the  crown  of  Spain. 

"They  gave  him  no  answer,  except  that  they  would  all  die 
first,  rather  than  do  such  a  thing,  and  that,  since  he,  forgetful 
of  what  he  owed  to  his  country,  had  already  made  friends  with 
the  Spaniards,  their  enemies,  he  should  go  to  them  and  die 


ILLUSTRATED   illSTOUV    OB^    NEW    MEXICO.  277 

with  them.  He  returned  to  us  very  much  disgusted  with 
such  an  answer;  and,  hereupon,  we  consumed  the  day  in  set- 
ting in  position  a  battery  of  two  small  pieces  of  artillery,  and 
in  again  sending  them  warnings  that  they  might  avoid  death, 
and  the  plunder  of  the  Villa.  But,  God  softening  their  ob- 
stinate hearts,  they  suddenly  proposed,  fear-stricken  at  the 
determined  resolve  of  our  men,  that  if  we  withdrew  our 
artillery  and  the  armed  men,  they  would  come  forward  to 
treat  with  the  General  on  what  would  be  useful  to  them. 

"They  were  answered  that  in  as  much  as  they  were  be- 
sieged and  deprived  of  w^ater,  their  demand  was  not  proper, 
and  especially  when  our  movement  had  not  been  under- 
taken simply  as  a  threat;  and  to  trust  to  the  benignity 
with  which  pardon  was  promised  to  them,  and  that,  if 
they  came  foward  without  arms  to  give  obedience,  as  they 
should,  whatever  they  should  ask  would  be  granted  to 
them  without  reluctance.  A  great  portion  of  the  evening 
was  spent  in  such  demands,  and  tinally  one  of  them  came  out. 
As  those  who  were  on  the  wall  beheld  the  tenderness  and 
love  with  which  the  General  received  him,  they  began  to 
imitate  him  in  increased  numbers,  and  all  were  equally  in- 
gratiated; the  same  treatment  was  extended  to  those  who 
were  doing  duty  as  sentries  in  the  thickets  and  hills,  these 
also  came  to  offer  themselves  in  surrender  and  all  disarmed. 

"It  was  then  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and,  although 
it  did  not  appear  reasonable  to  raise  the  siege,  it  was  thought 
less  inconvenient  to  do  so,  and  select  a  near  by  spot  in  which 
to  establish  quarters  for  our  security  on  that  night,  than 
disperse  in  different  places  the  scanty  force  that  we  had; 
and  telling  the  Indians  that  this  was  done,  in  their  behalf,  it 
was  executed  as  said,  but  with  sentries  and  night  patrols  on 
€very  side. 

"The  next  day  dawned,  being  the  14th  on  which  the  Catholic 
church  celebrates  the  feast  of  the  Exaltation  of  the  Cross, 
and  having  come  out  of  the  Villa,  a  good  throng  of  the  prin- 
cipal Indians,  with  demonstrations  of  peace,  greeted  the 
General,  and  the  Religious  and  those  who  were  there,  with 
courteous  words;  and  as  they  added  that  he  (the  General) 
could  enter  into  it  (the  Villa)  when  he  pleased,  it  did  not  seem 
coiivenient  to  the  General  to  delay  long  in   doing  that.     He 


278  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

arrived  at  the  gate  that  is  on  the  wall  (which  is  a  single  one) 
and  found  it  fastened  on  all  sides  with  iron  bars  followed  by 
a  gangway  with  various  loopholes  which  looked  like  a  fort  or 
halfmoon  for  greater  defense. 

De  Vargas  Takes  Peaceful  Possession  of  Santa  Fe. 

"They  proposed  here  tenaciously  and  with  obstinacy,  but 
also  obsequiously  and  submissively,  that,  in  order  that 
their  people  might  not  become  restless,  the  General  and  the 
Rev.  Father  President  with  six  soldiers,  and  without  hand 
guns  should  enter.  "That  is  nothing,"  said  the  intrepid 
General.  "Who  will  not  risk  himself  in  order  to  obtain  with 
perpetual  glory  an  illustrious  name?"  And  calling  upon  the 
most  Holy  Mary  with  devout  efficacy  he  stepped  forward. 
He  arrived  with  the  Father  President  and  the  six  soldiers 
to  a  great  square  where  the  Indians  had  just  planted  a 
beautiful  cross.  When  the  noise  of  the  great  crowd  that 
was  there  had  subsided,  he  proposed  to  them,  in  the  Castilian 
language  which  many  of  them  understood  well,  that:  Our 
Monarch  and  Lord  Charles  II,  their  legitimate  King,  having 
forgotten  the  apostacy  with  which  they  had  renounced  the 
Catholic  religion;  the  sacrilege  whereby  they  had  deprived 
theReligious  of  their  lives;  desecrated  the  temples,  broken  the 
images  and  contaminated  the  sacred  vessels;  of  the  cowardice 
with  which  they  had  knifed  the  Spaniards  without  sparing 
the  women  and  tender  children;  of  the  barbarity  with  which 
they  had  burned  the  farms  of  the  latter  and  ruined  the 
pueblos;  of  the  consequences  that  had  followed  from  such 
abominations;  he  (His  Majesty)  had  sent  him  with  full 
authority,  to  pardon  them  without  any  other  condition  than 
their  return  to  the  fold  of  the  Holy  Church  which  would 
receive  them  as  a  pious  mother  if  they  solicited  pardon  with 
penance  and  tears  and  with  the  understanding  that  they 
should  swear  obedience  to  his  Catholic  Majesty  as  their 
legitimate  King. 

"With  pleasure  they  conceded  both  demands,  the  General 
then  commanded  the  Royal  Ensign,  who  was  at  his  side,  to 
unfurl  his  standard.  The  General  then  said  in  ringing  and 
intelligible  tones:  "The  Villa  of  Santa  F6,  Capital  of  the 
Kingdom  of  New  Mexico,  I  now  take  possession  of,  and  with 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  279 

her,  her  provinces  and  all  the  pueblos,  for  the  Catholic  Majesty 
of  the  King,  Our  Lord  Charles  II,  long  live  him  for  the 
protection  of  all  his  vassals  and  of  his  dominions  many  long 
years.*'  "Long  live,  long  live,  long  live,  that  we  may  all  serve 
him,  as  we  ought,""  the  rest  answered  and  prostrating  them- 
selves before  the  Holy  Cross,  and  the  Father  President  sang 
the  Te  Deum  Laudamus. 

"From  this  moment  they  threw  open  the  gate  of  the  Villa 
without  any  mistrust,  and  constructed  a  tent  of  branches 
of  trees  in  the  plaza  for  the  ceremony  of  their  absolution 
from  their  apostacy,  as  well  as  to  give  them  mass,  and  to 
baptise  their  little  ones;  and  after  listening  to  the  elegant 
sermon  full  of  fervor  preached  by  the  religious  Chaplain, 
they  obtained  the  absolution  and  the  baptism  of  their  little 
children  with  manifest  jubilee;  and  they  attended  mass  not 
only  without  restlessness,  but  with  devotion,  and  the  same 
happened  the  next  day,  the  17th  of  the  month,  when  another 
mass  was  said.'" 

Indian  Chief  Tupatii  Meets  Vargas. 

"While  this  was  happening  in  the  Villa  of  Santa  F6  there 
was  at  the  pueblo  of  San  Juan  which  is  not  very  far  from 
here,  Don  Luis  Tupatii,  an  Indian  of  mature  age,  whose 
qualities  and  valor,  after  the  death  of  Alonzo  Catiti  and  of 
Pope,  gained  for  him  the  government  of  the  whole  kingdom, 
without  any  opposition  from  anyone.  Whether  it  was  the 
fear,  which  took  general  hold  of  them  all,  or  any  other  motive, 
that  held  him  quiet,  I  am  not  able  to  say,  because  I  am 
ignorant  of  it;  but  hy  reflecting  upon  wiiat  he  subsequently 
spoke,  I  am  persuaded  that  he  was  guided  by  prudence. 

"With  the  presumption  that  he  had  not  come  to  Santa  F6, 
for  fear  that  his  life  might  be  taken  away,  the  General  sent 
him  as  passport  and  assurance  one  rosary  of  his;  Don  Luis' 
answer  to  the  embassy  was  courteous  assuring  them  that  he 
had  heard  with  complacency  of  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards, 
that  his  having  not  gone  out  to  welcome  his  lordship  imme- 
diately, was  not  due  to  malevolence  or  timidity,  but  rather  to 
follow  the  custom  of  being  treated  as  was  due  his  position, 
and  that  his  committee  permitting  him,  and  if  the  neighbors 
at  the  Villa  did  not  fail  in  the  respect  due  him  at  the  time  of 


^/^ — -y  ^  y  ■ 

Tlie  above  is  )i  list  of  ofliciais  clcc-tcd  l)y  tlic  flci-loral  coII.'Ki'  in  Santa  FO  on  tlif  Tt  li 
of  OctobiT,  1845.  Tlie  first  two  names  are  tlie  ones  elecleii  as  the  reRiilar  diputadc 
((leleKate)  and  Ills  proxy.  The  five  names  following  are  of  those  elected  as  the  regulai 
members  of  tlie  Di>partmental  Assembly  and  the  last  three  were  elected  as  proxies.  Tlu 
ori^rlnal  Is  in  the  possession  of  the  Author  of  tliis  work. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  281 

visiting  theui,  he  would  come  to  the  presence  of  the  General 
to  obey  his  orders  and  to  help  him  with  a  tirm  friendship  in 
whatever  he  might  employ  him. 

"With  the  assurance  that  the  General  would  be  pleased  to 
have  him  come  when  it  should  be  his  pleasure,  he  came  the 
next  day,  the  neighbors  of  the  Villa  having  gone  out  to  receive 
him  after  the  usage  of  war,  Don  Luis  arrived  accompanied  by 
200  Indian  soldiers  well  prepared.  He  came  mounted  on  a 
tine  horse,  had  a  fire-lock,  powder  and  ammunition,  and  on 
the  forehead  a  nacarine  shell  like  a  crown  and  was  dressed 
after  the  Spanish  fashion,  but  with  deer  skins.  At  a  distance 
of  seventy  steps  from  the  General's  tent  he  halted,  and  the 
guard  of  200  Indians  formed  into  a  square,  and  after  dis- 
mounting he  stepped  forward  with  gravity,  and  mak- 
ing three  bows,  he  bent  the  knee  to  Don  Diego,  who  was 
outside,  and  kissed  his  hand.  Don  Diego  returned  all  this 
with  an  embrace,  and  this  first  visit  was  confined  to  the 
customary  salutations,  Don  Luis  showing  in  bis  countenance 
his  pleasure.  After  having  presented  the  General  gifts  of 
marine  wolf  skins,  daitas  and  buffalo  robes,  and  receiving  (in 
return)  a  reward  of  a  fine  horse,  which  he  accepted  apprecia- 
tively, he  took  leave  to  return  the  next  day. 

"So  he  did,  and,  without  bringing  to  mind  past  occur- 
rences, they  discussed  together  the  present  condition  of  the 
Kingdom.  It  was  there  learned  not  only  about  the  hostili- 
ties carried  on  by  the  Apaches,  ever  since  the  Spaniards  had 
gone,  against  all  in  general,  but  also  of  the  refusal  of  the 
nations  of  Pecos,  Queres,  Taos,  and  Jemes  to  obey  him,  and 
that  wishing  to  chastise  their  unfaithfulness  he  was  inclined 
to  think  that  the  Spaniards  should  go  wMth  him  to  those 
pueblos.  He  was  answered  that  not  only  those  but  all  the 
pueblos  would  be  visited;  with  the  understanding  that,  if  in  any 
part  they  (the  inhabitants)  did  not  act  as  those  in  la  Villa,  the 
obstinate  would  be  proceeded  against,  with  tire  and  blood 
that  to  those  who  had  been  faithful  to  Don  Luis  up  to  that 
time  every  attention  would  be  shown,  and  that  if  they 
became  submissive,  as  they  should,  to  what  he  should  order 
them,  he  would  take  them  along  with  himself.  On  giving 
(Don  Luis)  assurance  of  the  confidence  in  which  he  (the 
General,)  might  rest  concerning  his  proceedings,  the  General 


'€..<2<»'«*/^3i'^W^j^?^^*>^k 


^A. 


:/Q 


.>  


/ 

;* 


state  ballot  of  isol. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  285 

replied  that  if  they  did  not  yield  he  would  kill  them  all,  and 
that  he  might  be  convinced  how,  independently  of  alien  aid, 
he  desired  to  reduce  the  whole  kingdom  to  what  was  just,  he 
would  go  ahead  with  only  the  Spaniards  and  friendly  Indians 
that  accompanied  him. 

"To  such  resolution  Don  Luis  answered  without  emotion, 
but  with  mildness;  and  asked  the  General  for  6  days  time  to 
provision  and  prepare  his  men,  for  the  purpose  of  accom- 
panying him  with  his  leave  and  pleasure,  on  the  journeys, 
he  was  to  make.  He  came  with  three  hundred  Indian  war- 
riors very  well  armed  at  the  time  he  promised;  and  leaving 
at  the  Villa  the  proper  orders,  the  General  marched  the  camp 
off  on  the  21st  of  Sept.  1692,  at  day  break.  On  this  same  day, 
the  compan}^  of  50  Spaniards  from  El  Parral  arrived  at  sun 
down,  and  the  next  day  they  reached  Galisteo  where  they 
joined  the  main  body,  and  both,  with  the  followers  of  Don 
Luis,  came  before  the  pueblo  of  Pecos  by  sunrise  on  the  23rd 
of  September. 

"There  dwelt  in  this  pueblo  from  what  we  judged  by  the 
number  of  its  dwelling  houses,  about  two  thousand  families; 
but  they  had  already  abandoned  it.  This,  notwithstanding, 
and  the  Indian  auxiliaries  being  aware  of  their  whereabouts, 
some  of  our  Indians  with  a  few  Spaniards  were  sent  to  the 
neighboring  sierra,  their  hiding  place,  which  is  very  rough. 
Quite  a  quantity  of  skins  and  other  objects  were  found  in 
the  pueblo,  and  some  of  the  Indians  found  near  by  were 
made  prisoners  without  any  resistance  from  them.  The 
General  treated  them  all  with  great  kindness,  and,  hanging 
a  rosary  bv  the  neck  of  one  of  them,  he  sent  him  speedily  to 
call  the  fugitives,  assuring  them  that,  if  they  came  down 
unarmed,  they  would  obtain  pardon  for  all  they  had  done; 
but  neither  this  one,  nor  three  others  who  were  sent  after- 
wards on  the  same  errand  ever  returned,  and,  if  any  of  them 
returned,  it  was  but  to  say  that  he  could  not  find  his  com- 
rades where  he  had  left  them.  The  camp  stayed  five  days 
at  that  place,  and  from  there  the  campaign  was  carried 
through  the  province  without  a  single  death  on  either  side 
and  with  thirty-six  Indians  captured. 

"It  being  apparent  to  the  General  that  the  time  was  being 
spent  there  without  any  benefit,  and  having  received  import- 


284  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

ant  news  from  the  Captain  of  the  Tegua  Indians,  who  came 
to  offer  his  services,  (the  news)  was  to  the  effect  that  the 
Pecos  Indians  were  going  to  place  themselves  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Apaches  as  they,  themselves,  had  told  it  to 
him,  setting  the  prisoners  at  hberty  and  exhorting  them  to 
persuade  their  comrades  to  give  themselves  up,  the  General, 
on  the  27th  of  September,  returned  to  the  villa,  where  the 
Indians  received  him  amid  feastings  and  rejoicings.  Here  he 
remained  until  the  next  Monday,  the  twenty-ninth,  without 
noticing  or  suspecting  any  untow^ard  movement  in  its  inhab- 
itants. 

De  Vargas  Prosecutes  his  Voyage  of  Peaceful  Conquests  Northward — 
Surrender  of  all  the  Pueblos  North  of  Santa  Fe. 

"With  a  larger  body  of  Spanish  and  Indian  troops,  and 
with  more  efficient  military  apparatus  than  what  we  had 
before,  the  General  now  started  in  a  northerly  direction  and 
entered  the  pueblo  of  Tesuque  the  same  day.  On  the  30th, 
he  was  at  the  pueblos  of  Cuyamungue,  Nambe  and  Jacona, 
the  1st  of  October,  at  Pojoaque  and  San  Ildefonzo;  on 
the  second,  at  Santa  Clara  and  San  Juan;  on  the  fourth, 
at  San  Lazaro  and  San  Crist6val;  from  there  we  went 
to  Picuris,  and  in  all  of  them  Don  Luis  Tupatii,  commanded 
the  Indians  to  give  the  Governor,  the  religious  and  all  the 
<3amp  solemn  receptions.  All  who  lived  in  the  pueblos  came 
out  of  them,  all  with  crosses,  and  along  the  roads  the  most 
curious  arches  of  cypresses  and  flowers  were  to  be  seen. 
These  apostates  reconciled  themselves  with  the  church, 
asked  for  baptism  for  their  children  with  great  anxiety,  and 
their  requests  were  granted  after  which  we  took  new  pos- 
session of  them  all,  for  and  in  the  name  of  the  Catholic  Ma- 
jesty, our  Monarch  and  Lord,  Charles  II;  all  this  was  done 
amid  great  and  general  rejoicing  and  festive  dances. 

"It  snowed  on  this  night,  and  the  storm  continued  the  next 
day;  the  General  mistrusted  that  the  road  which  is  dan- 
gerous might  be  closed,  (by  the  snow)  and  be  prevented 
from  attacking  those  of  Taos,  set  out  on  the  sixth,  at  eleven 
o'clock,  to  shorten  the  journey  by  half  a  day  in  order  to 
insure  the  day  break  attack;  but  his  efforts,  much  to  his 
regret,  were  frustrated,  for  on  reaching  the  pueblo  at  four  in 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  285 

the  morning  of  the  seventh,  there  was  not,  at  that  hour,  a 
single  person  at  the  pueblo.  By  tracks  that  could  be  traced 
on  the  snow  the  friendly  Indians  conjectured  as  to  where 
they  might  be,  and  marching  toward  the  mountain  range 
that  was  near  b}",  an  Indian  was  noticed  who  issued  out  of  it; 
the  (General  stepped  ahead  to  receive  him,  and,  having  em- 
braced him,  caused  him  to  be  asked  the  reason  which  had 
moved  his  comrades  to  retire  to  the  mountain;  and  from  him 
it  was  learned  that  the  fear  they  entertained  for  him  (the 
General)  had  been  the  cause. 

"He  caused  a  rosary  to  be  placed  on  his  neck,  and  assuring 
him  that  he  had  come  only  to  pardon  them  and  to  lead  them 
back  to  their  obligations  as  Christians,  which  thej"  had  denied 
in  the  uprising,  he  made  him  return,  with  this  embassy,  to 
the  mountain  range.  The  Indian  ran  with  much  speed,  and, 
in  a  little  while,  another  came  (quite  fluent  in  the  Castilian 
language)  with  whom  the  same  acts  were  performed,  and,  by 
persuasions,  doubtless,  of  these  emissaries,  the  fugitives, 
came  back  in  troops.  This  they  did  until  the  next  day;  then 
all  being  gathered  together  in  the  square  of  their  pueblo,  the 
same  was  done  unto  them  as  in  other  places,  and  were  left  in 
their  home  grateful  and  glad. 

The  Jemes,  Queres,  Pecos  and  Apache  Indians  Prepare  their  Uprising 
De  Vargas  Receives  the  News  and  Returns  to  Santa  Fe — He 
Undertakes  a  Campaign  Against  the  Rebels   and  Subdues  Them 
Without  Bloodshed. 

"In  proof  of  the  truth  of  their  reduction,  and  as  an  evident 
confirmation  of  their  friendship,  these  Taos  Indians  sent 
immediately  to  the  General,  the  news  that  the  Jemes,  Queres 
and  Pecos,  with  the  help  of  the  Apaches  and  that  of  the  pro- 
vinces of  Zufii  and  Moqui,  were  ready  to  attack  him  in 
ambushes  on  his  departure  from  the  kingdom.  This  news 
obliged  him  to  withdraw  to  the  Villa, both  to  inform  the  Most 
Excellent  Lord,  the  Count  of  Galve,  and  viceroy  of  New  Spain 
of  what  had  happened  until  then,  as  well  as  to  rehabilitate 
himself  with  people  and  provisions  in  order  to  go  ahead, 
confident  that  his  success  would  be  insured  only  by  the 
diligence  and  promptness  of  his  determinations. 


•286  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

"Having  prepared,  as  best  he  could,  what  he  judged  neces- 
sary, he  set  out  from  the  Villa  on  October  17th.  He  was 
accompanied  not  only  by  Don  Luis  Tupatii,  but  by  Don 
Lorenzo,  brother  of  Tupatii  and  a  good  corps  of  brave  Indian 
warriors,  and  coming  in  sight  of  the  Pueblo  of  Pecos  on  the 
same  day  the  surrender  of  the  inhabitants  was  obtained 
without  any  resistance.  This  was  brought  about  by  the 
thirty-six  prisoners  who  had  been  given  full  liberty,  who  told 
the  others  how  kindly  they  had  been  treated,  being  well 
satistied  of  the  truth,  which  they  all  praised,  and  relying  on 
the  promises  of  the  General,  they  came  back  to  the  church 
with  the  knowledge  of  their  errors  and  gave  obedience  with 
humility  to  whom  they  owed  it,  consenting  to  be  baptized, 
those  who  had  not  been. 

"With  the  Jemes  we  did  not  succeed  so  easily,  because, 
persisting  in  their  obstinacy  and  perfidy,  they,  not  only  had 
with  them  and  in  their  own  quarters  many  Apaches,  but  they 
had  solicited  aid  from  Captain  Malacate  of  the  Queres;  and, 
although  the  later  prudently  dissuaded  them  from  such  a 
purpose,  they  yet  persisted  in  their  evil  intention,  and  in 
order  to  succeed  they  came  out  of  their  pueblo,  all  armed,  to 
fight  our  men.  Their  infantry  extended  along  the  ridges  of 
the  hill,  and  both  this  as  well  as  some  of  their  cavalry  troops 
that  were  approaching,  scattered  dust  upon  the  eyes  of  those 
of  us  who  marched  impatiently,  as  not  being  able  to  avenge 
such  contempt.  The  reason  of  this  toleration  which  seems 
excessive  was  the  fact  that  the  general  placed  the  death 
penalty  on  any  one  who  should  transgress  orders  in  anything 
to  the  injury  of  the  rebels,  even  if  they  should,  for  that 
matter,  offer  the  most  grave  motives. 

"There  is  no  doubt  that,  on  account  of  this,  and  on  account 
of  so  many  prudent  measures  he  (the  general)  took  in  his 
entry,  he  justly  deserved  an  eulogy.  He  dissembled  the  shame- 
less tactics  of  the  rebels  because  he  recognized  the  fact 
that  they  did  it  to  force  him  to  an  open  rupture  with  them, 
and  as  it  seemed  best  to  him  to  show  them  magnanimity  and 
serenity  amid  so  many  dangers,  that  they  might  hold  him  as 
invincible,  he  obtained,  with  the  admiration  and  fright  of 
the  barbarous  rebels  what  he  had  in  his  mind.  Such  was  the 
fear  that  captured  their  hearts,  by  means  of  the  contempt 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  287 

with  which  he,  the  General,  looked  upon  them,  that,  while 
they  dec'.lared  that  they  feasted  the  Spaniards  with  the  dust 
they  cast  on  their  eyes,  they,  however,  admitted  them  into 
their  pueblo,  and,  to  all  appearances,  without  any  displeasure, 
and,  to  effect  their  surrender,  the  very  same  things  were 
done  there  as  at  the  other  pueblos.  He  went  from  here  to 
the  nation  of  the  Queres  and  without  meeting  any  opposition, 
divers  pueblos  went  back  to  the  Catholic  church  and  to  the 
royal  crown. 

"The  time  employed  in  this  expedition  reached  to  October 
the  29th,  when  he  (the  General)  arrived  at  the  pueblo  of  Mexia 
where  he  had  left  Captain  Rafael  Tellez  in  charge  of  the  bag- 
gage. The  reason  that  compelled  the  general  to  make  this 
digression  was  to  rid  himself  of  76  Indians  he  had  freed 
from  captivity,  and  to  disband  the  war  Indians  that  had 
accompanied  him  from  the  beginning;  for,  with  those  of  Don 
Luis  Tupatii,  who  proved  themselves  most  loyal,  he  had  an 
over  surplus  of  people.  To  all  these,  and  to  all  the  Spaniards 
who  were  there,  and  desired  to  return,  he  added  a  squad  of 
-eight  soldiers,  and,  recommending  to  them  part  of  the  beasts 
of  burden  and  transportation  vehicles,  he  sent  to  El  Paso. 

"He  had  before  summoned  a  council  of  war  of  all  the  cor- 
porals to  determine  with  them  whether  the  campaign  should 
be  prosecuted  until  it  was  concluded,  or,  if  what  had  been 
done,  was  sufficient  until  the  next  year.  They  all  inclined 
to  the  latter  expedient,  both  because  the  horses  were  quite 
worn  out,  and  because  also  of  the  bitter  colds  and  snows 
which  were  now  setting  in,  and  to  which  was  added  the  dry- 
ness of  the  land  which  they  had  yet  to  tread,  together  with 
the  fact  that  those  who  occupied  it,  were  the  most  obstinate 
among  all  the  apostate  rebels.  Don  Diego  assured  them  that 
they  were  right;  and,  notwithstanding  the  unanimity  of  the 
votes,  he  performed  the  contrary.  He  based  himself  first, 
on  the  patronage  which  he  had  so  manifestly  experienced 
from  the  Most  Holy  Virgin,  in  whose  name  and  under  whose 
protection,  he  had  undertaken  this  campaign;  secondly,  on 
the  good  luck  with  which  he  had  obtained  until  then,  with- 
out any  remarkable  danger,  what  seemed  impossible;  and 
thirdly,  on  the  horror  which  his  name  inspired  on  account  of 
his  daring  and  violent  resolutions,  even  among  the  stubborn. 


288  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

After  the  Reduction  of  the  Pueblos  Above  Noted  De  Vargas  Continues 
His  Voyage  to  Acoma,  Zuni  and  Moqui  and  Other  Pueblo?  of  the 
West  With  Similar  Results — The  Narrative  Follows: 

"Relying  upon  these  hopes,  and  accompanied  by  89  Span- 
ish soldiers  and  by  the  troops  of  the  Indian  auxiliaries  com- 
manded by  Don  Luis,  he  left  this  place  on  the  30th  of  Octc- 
ber  and  by  the  3rd  of  November,  he  found  himself  at  the  foot 
of  the  inexpugnable  "Peiiol"  of  Acoma;  the  contidence  in  the 
Penol's  inaccessibility  imparted  boldness  to  the  Queres  wha 
dwelt  on  it,  so  as  not  to  heed  the  pardon  and  friendship  the 
General  offered  them  and  there  was  no  way  until  next  day,  of 
succeeding  in  that  most  difficult  ascent  through  those 
brushes.  The  first  one  to  undertake  it  was  the  General  with 
nine  Spaniards.  The  Indians,  frightened  at  such  a  heroic 
action,  submitted  peaceably  to  his  obedience,  and  leaving 
them  in  joyful  reconciliation  with  the  church,  and  with  suf- 
ticient  proofs  of  a  true  friendship,  he  continued  the  march. 

"He  arrived  at  the  "Penol'"  (Big  Rock),  on  November  11th., 
which  was  as  inexpugnable  as  the  tirst,  where  on  account 
of  the  hostilities  of  the  Apaches  against  the  Zunis  who  lived 
in  their  vicinity,  having  reduced  live  pueblos  to  one  alone, 
they  had  retired  for  better  security.  No  difficulty  was  met 
in  ascending  it,  but  rather  a  good  deal  of  kindness  and 
courtesy  from  the  Indians  who  expected  the  General  and  his- 
men  outside  the  pueblo,  and  not  one  of  those  (pueblos)  which 
till  then  had  already  been  reduced  to  obedience,  showed 
more  politeness  and  attention  than  here,  and  in  it  alonawere 
found  samples  of  its  primitive  Christianity. 

"These  consisted  in  keeping,  with  some  show  of  reverence 
what  was  found  in  a  compartment  of  the  house  of  an  Indian 
woman.  By  its  door  (smaller  than  the  smallest  postern  of  a 
window)  the  General  entered  and  found  in  an  altar  modestly 
adorned,  where  two  tallow  candles  burned,  the  effigie  of 
Christ  Our  Lord  crucified,  a  canvass  with  the  picture  of 
St.  John  the  Baptist,  his  Precursor;  some  sacred  vessels; 
the  chalice,  some  missals,  all  of  which  articles  were  covered 
with  remnants  of  ornaments.  Such  a  finding  impressed 
the  General  and  some  of  the  corporals,  who  had  also 
entered,  with  notable  devotion  and  tenderness,  and  in  giving 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  289 

proof  of  this  gratitude  they  gave  many  embraces  to  the 
Captains  of  those  Indians;  he  also  gave  them  assurance  of 
special  kindness  in  the  future  and  instructed  them  to  take 
care  of  said  articles.  From  here  he  returned  to  Alond,  a 
pueblo  without  people,  to  enter  into  the  province  of  Moqui 
and  there  end  the  journey;  recognizing,  beforehand  how  ex- 
hausted were  the  horses  on  account  of  the  few  pastures,  and 
continued  traveling,  and  many  soldiers  being  devoid  of 
strength  on  account  of  the  arduous  work  they  had  done 
which  overcame  them  all;  making  out  of  these,  who  were 
twenty  live  in  number,  a  company  with  the  greater  part  of 
the  beasts  of  burden  and  transports,  he  entrusted  them  to 
Capt.  Tellez.  He  commanded  him  to  prepare  himself  for 
any  emergency,  in  that  place,  and  reserved  for  those  who 
were  to  go  with  him  (who  were  63,  counting  the  corporals) 
what  seemed  to  him  to  be  necessary. 

"From  here  to  the  Pueblo  of  Aguatubi,  which  is  the  first  of 
the  province  of  Moqui  there  are  forty  leagues,  and  only  three 
watering  places  in  all  of  them;  the  same  were  traveled  with 
untold  suffering  from  the  tifteenth  to  the  nineteenth  of  Nov- 
ember; their  hardships  were  softened,  by  the  General 
finding  himself  almost  suddenly  among  800  Moquis,  all 
armed;  and  as  the  horses  of  our  men  were  coming  very  slowly 
and  almost  without  breath  for  lack  of  water,  so  much  so 
that  on  this  account,  hardly  25  men  accompanied  him;  it  may 
thus  be  seen  that  this  day  had  been  of  all  those  in  the  journey 
the  one  of  greater  peril;  for  the  Moquis,  imitating  the  Jemes 
in  throwing  up  dust,  and  exceeding  them  in  discordant  noise 
and  yells,  they  went  as  far  as  to  take  away  the  arms  from 
some  of  our  men  without  any  resistance  because  the  Gener- 
al with  most  righteous  precept  had  commanded  it. 

"The  Captain  of  that  pueblo  whose  name  was  Miguel, 
traveled  by  the  General's  side  and  had  come  out  as  leader 
of  his  men.  He  told  him  (recognizing  that  he  could  under- 
stand Spanish)  to  reduce  his  men  to  what  was  just,  and  that 
as  his  coming  to  that  province  was  only  for  peaceful  pur- 
poses they  should  receive  and  behave  with  him,  in  a  different 
manner.  As  they  did  not  heed  this  proposal  nor  what  Don 
Luis  told  them,  to  quiet  them,  our  menat  a  distance  of  a  league 
from   the    pueblo,  stopped  three    or    four    times,    so    that 


290  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

those  who  came  behind  might  come  up  with  them,  and  not 
being  able  to  accomphsh  this,  as  we  desired,  we  proceeded 
forward  until  we  w^ere  within  musket  shot,  or  a  httle  more, 
from  the  tirst  houses. 

Terrible  Harangue  of  De  Vargas  Against  the  Belicose  Rebels — Most 
Singular  Coincidence  of  the  Reprimand  with  a  Thunder  Clap  and 
fall  of  a  Lightning  Bolt  from  Heaven — The  Insurgents  are  Terrorized 
and  Surrender  Unconditionally. 

"The  General  halted  here,  and,  compelling  those  who  out- 
shone in  their  audacity  and  shamelessness  to  come  there: 
^Ah,  Indians"  he  told  them,  'Ah  Dogs  of  the  worst  breed 
that  the  Sun  doth  warm!  Think  ye,  that  my  forbearance  has 
been  the  effect  of  fear  at  your  multitude  and  arms?  It  is  pity 
on  you  that  has  detained  me  from  killing  you,  for  at  a  single 
signal  from  me  you  would  have  all  perished!  Whom  am  I 
speaking  to?  Hold  ye  yet  your  arms  in  your  hands,  when 
you  see  me  irritated?  How  is  it  that,  being  Christians,  but 
so  wicked,  that,  false  to  your  baptismal  promises,  you  pro- 
faned the  church,  destroyed  the  images,  killed  the  Religious, 
and  offered  up  yourselves  in  sacrifice  to  the  devil  for  your 
greater  damage:  how  is  it  that  you  do  not  cast  yourselves 
down  with  humility  upon  that  ground  and  adore  the  true 
mother  of  your  God,  and  mine,  who,  in  the  image  that  ennob- 
les this  Royal  Standard,  come  to  invite  you  with  pardon 
that  you  may  go  to  Heaven?  Kneel  down,  kneel  down  with- 
out delay,  lest  with  tlie  tire  of  my  indignation  I  consume 
you  alll' 

"They  (the  Indians)  were  less  horrified  with  the  j)eal  of  a 
lightning  bolt  that  together  with  these  words,  fell  (near 
them)  and,  without  knowing  what  to  say  they  laid  down  their 
arms  and  placed  their  knees  on  the  ground  adoring  the  most 
Holy  Mary  on  that  image  and  repeatedly  striking  their 
breasts.  This  was  followed  by  the  whole  pueblo,  and  enter- 
ing into  what  they  used  as  a  plaza,  whose  gate  could  admit 
but  one  man  at  a  time,  and  this  by  entering  sideways,  pos- 
session was  taken  of  it  for  our  King  and  Lord:  and  inform- 
ing them  that  he  would  return  the  next  day  to  reconcile 
them,  accompanied  by  many  troops  of  Indians,  the  General 
went  out  thence  to  a  watering  place  that  was  nearby.     As  it 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  291 

was  very  cold,  he  commanded  them  to  haul  in  some  wood  to 
build  a  tire,  but  noticing  they  manifested  a  disposition  to 
dissemble,  he  threatened  that  with  their  own  arms  and  even 
with  themselves  the  tire  would  be  built;  they  feared  that  such 
would  be  the  case,  and,  in  a  short  while,  they  brought  much 
of  it,  and  the  night  was  passed  with  the  usual  precaution  of 
sentries  and  patrol  guards. 

De  Vargas  Becomes  God'Father. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  next  day  which  was  the  twentieth, 
the  entry  was  made  and  the  reconciliation  with  the  church  was 
effected  as  also  the  baptizing  of  the  little  ones.  Captain 
Miguel  asked  the  General  to  be  the  god-father  of  his  grand- 
children, a  favor  which  the  General  granted  and  was  highly 
appreciated  by  Captain  Miguel,  who  thereupon  again  request- 
ed the  General  to  honor  him  as  his  guest.  After  having  feasted 
him  and  the  Religious,  and  the  military  corporals  as  best  he 
could  he  accompanied  them  to  the  headquarters  at  the 
watering  place  where  they  repaired  early  to  pass  the  night. 

"He,  Miguel,  came  to  him,  (the  General)  before  sunrise,  and 
after  having  greeted  the  General  kissing  the  hands  and 
cassock  of  the  Father  President,  he  began  to  sob,  and  burst 
into  tears.  While  the  General  endeavored  to  dry  them  and 
to  know  the  cause,  (of  his  sorrow)  he  answered  in  Castilian: 
Your  Lordship  might  well  have  recognized  the  ease  with  which 
the  great  number  of  my  men  could  have  routed  you,  and  be 
convinced  that  at  a  single  signal  of  mine  they  would  have 
done  it.  My  death  will  now  follow,  because  I  did  not  allow 
them  such  pleasure  which  they  wanted;  but  what  I  have 
heard,  although  it  will  not  be  impossible  for  me  to  remind 
them  of  what  I  have  done  for  them  so  they  may  not  ill-treat 
me,  is,  how  shall  I  be  able  to  rid  myself  from  those  of  Gualpi, 
whose  Captain  called  Antonio  will  execute  upon  your  Lord- 
ship and  myself  what  I  failed  to  do? 

"Appreciating  this  news  in  its  just  value,  the  General 
answered  him  with  firmess  and  courage:  Do  not  fear  he 
said  and  come  next  day  mounted  and  place  yourself  on  my 
side  so  you  may  see  prodigies.  He  did  so  and  with  only 
five  well  armed  squads  of  Spaniards  and  the  Indians  of  Don 
I^uis  Tupatu,  without  any  baggage  he  set  out  on  the  22nd 


292  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.   . 

towards  that  pueblo,  which  was  three  leagues  distant.  He 
found  Captian  Antonio  and  many  others,  without  any  prepa- 
ration of  arms,  on  the  road,  and  with  them  very  many  others. 
Their  whoops  and  yells  were  horrifying,  and  their  shamless- 
ness  reached  the  utmost,  the  authority,  which  Don  Luis 
had  among  them,  being  insuflficient  to  reduce  them  to 
quietness.  And  to  the  representation  which  the  latter  and 
the  General  made  to  them  with  mildness,  they  answered  that 
they  had  no  jurisdiction  except  over  those  who  were  without 
arms;  that  they  (the  General  and  Don  Luis)  should  deal  with 
ttie  others  who  were  strangers.  And,  although  he  (Antonio) 
with  this  answer  only  manifested  his  unapproving  intent 
and  double  dealing,  the  General,  without  employing  other 
weapons  than  those  of  scorn  and  contempt  for  his  foul 
dealings  continued  marching  without  any  mistrust  and 
entered  as  far  as  the  public  square  of  the  pueblo  where  he 
strengthened  himself.  A  cross  was  placed  there,  and  after 
convincing  them  with  convincing  reasons  as  to  what  they 
should  do  they  reconciled  themselves  with  God  and  swore 
obedience  to  their  Lord  and  King. 

"On  baptizing  his  little  ones  Captain  Antonio,  also,  invited 
the  General  as  his  co-father,  (godfather  of  a  child)  and  obtain- 
ing his  consent,  called  him  to  dinner;  and,  although  the  confus- 
ion reigning  among  his  (Antonio's  domestics)  should  have 
dissuaded  him,  Captain  Miguel  co-operating  to  the  same  pur- 
pose, trusting  to  good  luck,  and  guardingagainst  carelessness 
with  the  utmost  caution,  the  General  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  accompanied  by  the  Religious  and  some  corporals,  entered 
the  house.  The  feast  consisted  of  broiled  eggs  and  some 
water-melons;  and  thanking  him  with  a  pleasant  countenance, 
he  went  over  to  the  pueblo  of  Moxonavi  not  far  away  where 
both  our  men  and  the  Indians  did  the  same  as  in  Gualpi 
without  failing  in  anything.  The  only  thing  extra  found  in 
the  town  was  three  of  the  captains  with  crosses  in  their  hands 
before  which,  in  order  to  set  them  an  example,  the  General 
knelt  three  times.  The  numerous  concourse  of  people  found 
there  asked  (after  giving  up  their  arms)  for  absolution,  and 
their  obedience  being  accepted,  the  General  went  on  forward. 

"The  Pueblo  of  Jongopavi  was  reached  after  a  brief  while, 
and  without  any  persons  remaining  in  their  houses,  they  all 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO  208 

went  out  to  receive  the  General  and  all  his  people,  with  mani- 
fest gladness  and  courteous  pleasure;  what  had  been  done  in 
the  other  pueblo  was  brietly  done  there  also,  and  as  the 
country  run  over  during  all  that  day  lacked  water,  fourteen 
leagues  being  traveled  both  ways,  he  returned  to  the  watering 
placeofAguatuvi,  though  very  late.  No  pueblo  now  remained 
but  that  of  Oraibe,  and  as  the  road  to  reach  it  was  extremely 
dry  and  the  distance  great  it  was  thought  fit  not  to  visit  it; 
but  an  embassy  was  sent  to  it  to  which  they  answered 
humbly:  and  as  there  was  now  nothing  more  to  do  in  this 
province,  taking  leave  of  the  captains  of  all  the  pueblos,  that 
were  there  present,  and  exhorting  them  to  obedience, 
which  they  again  had  promised,  he  left  this  place  on  the  114th 
to  return  to  El  Paso.  * 

Return  of  De  Vargas  and  his   Men   to  El  Paso  del  Norte  — November 

30,  1692. 

"By  courier  sent  on  the  15th  by  Captain  Raphael  Tellez 
from  jMona,  it  was  learned  on  the  25th  that  he  was 
camping  there  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  enemy,  the 
Apaches;  the  General  departed  immediately  with  thirty  men, 
to  render  him  assistance,  and  by  the  night  of  the  26th  they 
were  together.  On  the  28th,  the  post  was  improved  by  the 
arrival  of  the  whole  body  of  the  camp,  and  contracting  with 
a  Genizaro  Indian  to  lead  them  by  a  shorter  but  unpeopled 
road  to  El  Paso,  on  the  30th  of  November,  the  General  left 
that  point  on  that  same  day,  although  night  had  already  set 
in.  An  Indian  courier  from  Caquimd  arrived  giving  notice 
that  the  enemy,  the  Apaches,  were  coming,  in  pursuit  of  our 

*  The  description,  which  the  reader  has  just  read,  of  De  Vargas' 
tirst  entry  sets  at  rest  the  numberless  erroneous  stories  told  by  other 
historians,  not  wilfully,  of  course,  but  simply  because  none  of  them 
had  seen  De  Vargas'  own  reports,  which  are  that  he  fought  a  terrific 
battle  and  taking  possession  of  Santa  Fe  on  the  Kith  of  December, 
1H92.  and  that  the  'vRasario  Chapel""  commemorates  the  victory  of  De 
Vargas  ovei-  tlie  Pueblo  Indians  in  1<)92.  The  reader  has  read  tlie  full 
description  of  that  most  celebrated  journey  from  the  very  lips  of  De 
Vargas,  and  can  readily  see  the  inaccuracy  of  such  assertions.  The 
battle  referred  to  took  place  on  the  2J)th  of  December,  I69;J,  as  will  be 
seen  further  on — as  to  the  Kosario  Chapel  commemorating  any  such 
event  there  is  no  authoritv  for  such  an  assertion.— The  Author. 


294  ILLL'STRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

camp.  From  there  the  march  was  made  with  greater  care; 
but  nevertheless,  the  night  of  the  2nd  of  December,  the 
enemy  strucli  our  rear  guard,  and,  cutting  a  portion  at  the 
horses,  retired  with  them.  The  Pueblo  of  Socorro  was 
reached  after  10  days'  march.  On  the  eleventh  which  was  the 
next  day  (all  the  rivers  being  frozen)  Cenecu  was  reached, 
distant  sixty  leagues  from  El  Paso,  where,  after  having 
traveled,  in  going  and  returning,  more  than  six  hundred 
leagues,  they  entered  with  the  general  applause  of  the 
neighbors  and  without  any  ill  luck,  on  the  20th  of  December. ""* 
Such  were  the  results  of  this  wonderful  campaign,  in 
which,  without  the  expenditure  of  an  ounce  of  powder,  or 
the  unsheathing  of  a  sword,  and  (what  is  more  worth^^  of 
praise  and  esteem)  without  the  cost  of  a  cent  to  the  Royal 
Exchequer,  innumerable  peoples  were  brought  into  the 
fold  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  an  entire  kingdom  was 
restored  to  the  King,  Don  Carlos  II.  No  Spaniard  was  found 
in  the  whole  province,  for  all  those  who  had  been  there,  at 
the  time  of  its  uprising,  (except  those  who  took  refuge  at 
Isleta  or  lived  at  the  Villa)  had  perished.  Seventy-four  Mes- 
tizos and  Genizaros  obtained  their  liberty,  who  were  found 
living  from  among  the  many  who  remained  in  captivity,  and 
two  thousand,  two  hundred  and  fourteen  little  ones  were 
baptized  to  them.  This  fact  is  worthy  of  being  known  by  all 
through  this  "Mercurio,"  says  Siguenza,  so  that  if  the  Gover- 
nor and  Captain  General,  Don  Diego  de  Vargas  Zapata  yLujan 
Ponce  de  Leon,  in  need  be  of  maintaining  constantly  what 
he  achieved  with  his  resolution,  by  reason  of  the  eulogies 
which  will  be  heaped  on  him  on  that  account,  he  may  under- 
take henceforth  even  greater  things,  f  With  this  most 
important  narrative  this  chapter  closes.  In  the  next  we 
shall  give  the  history  of  the  second  entry  of  De  Vargas  (from 
De  Vargas'  own  diary)  and  of  the  other  events  which 
occurred  between  the  years  1693  and  1704. 

*  The  foregfoing-  report  of  De  V'^argas'  first  entry  was   translated 
almost  literally  to  preserve  its  originality.-  -Author. 
fApp.  4th,  Villagra  p.  5. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Second  Entry  of  De  Vargas — First  Taking  of  Santa  Fe — The  Faithful 
Juan  Ye  Discovers  the  Conspiracy  Terrible  Struggle — Final 
Taking  of  the  Villa— The  Faithful  Pecos  Indians — Fr.  Farfan  Asks 
for  Help — The  Distribution  and  Cultivation  of  the  Lands  is  Com- 
menced—  New  Uprisings  ^Surrender  of  the  Apaches-Letter  to 
Father  Farfan  -  The  Hostile  Encounters  Follow — Diplomacy  of 
De  Vargas  Towards  the  Rebels — Arrival  of  Fr.  Farfan  and  His 
Colonists  — Campaign  Against  the  Teguas — Founding  of  Santa 
Cruz  de  la  Canada — Another  Uprising— Death  of  Seven  Priests 
and  Twenty  Soldiers — NewCovernor — Charges  Against  De  Vargas. 

1693-1704. 


The  first  thing  that  De  Vargas  did  after  his  arrival  at  El 
Paso  was  to  send  to  the  Viceroy  a  full  account  (the  one  read 
by  the  reader  in  the  foregoing  chapter)  of  the  voyage,  giving 
details  of  his  success,  as  happy  as  it  was  unexpected  in  the 
pacification  and  reconquest  of  New  Mexico  and  asking  per- 
mission to  repeople  the  province.  The  account  of  De  Vargas 
was  well  received  by  the  Viceroy  and  his  advisors.  The 
Viceroy  immediately  gave  orders  for  the  enlistment  of  all 
the  families  who  desired  to  come  to  New  Mexico,  sixty-six 
and  a  half  families  presenting  themselves  in  a  short  time  who 
believed  they  could  find  better  luck  by  venturing  to  live  in 
unknown  lands  and  inhabited  by  warlike  Indians.  The  per- 
sons composing  the  aggregate  of  said  families  reached  the 
number  of  235.  As  the  Viceroy  was  desirous  of  hastening 
the  second  entry,  he  wrote  De  Vargas  a  letter  dated  the  4th 
day  of  September,  1693,  telling  him  that,  in  a  very  short 
time,  the  families  with  provisions  and  other  necessaries  for 
the  establishment  of  colonies,  would  arrive  at  El  Paso. 
De  Vargas  in  the  meanwhile  had  not  lost  his  time,  having 
gathered,  through  the  agency  of  his  captains,  twenty-seven 


296  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

families    at    Zacatecas,     Sombrerte,     Fresnillo,    and   other 
points.* 

When  De  Vargas  read  the  Viceroy's  letter  he  made  its  con- 
tents known  by  means  of  a  proclamation  dated  the  20th  of 
September  1693,  ordering  his  soldiers  and  people  to 
make,  without  delay,  the  preparations  to  undertake  the 
journey.  The  stir  caused  by  the  proclamation  resulted  in 
the  enlistment  of  100  soldiers  and  70  families  making  the 
number,  in  toto,  of  800  individuals  in  troops,  men,  colonists, 
priests,  women  and  children.  Among  the  colonists  came 
artificers  and  mechanics  of  all  trades  and  well  provided  with 
livestock,  implements  and  tools  for  the  work  in  the  shops, 
the  cultivation  of  lands,  and  labor  in  the  mines,  but  with  few 
food  provisions.  On  the  12th  day  of  October,  1693,  De  Vargas 
reviewed  his  army  and  colonists,  and  finding  everything  in 
perfect  condition,  gave  the  order  to  march  the  next  day  with- 
out waiting  for  the  re-enforcements  of  troops  sent  him  by  the 
Viceroy,  as  we  have  said. 

The  Journey  as   Undertaken. 

At  sunrise,  October  13,  1693,  an  order  having  been  left  b}^ 
De  Vargas  for  the  advance  of  those  that  were  coming  from 
Mexico,  the  great  caravan  set  out  on  its  march  with  its  dis- 
tinguished General  at  its  head.  De  Vargas  was  accompanied 
by  seventeen  Franciscan  priests  whose  names  were:  Fr. 
Salvador  de  San  Antonio,  Custiodio,  (Superior);  Fr.  Juan  de 
Zavaleta,  Fr.  Fran>Msco  Jesiis  Maria,  Fr.  Juan  de  Alpuente, 
Fr.  Juan  Munos  de  Castro,  Fr.  Juan  Diaz,  Fr.  Antonio  Car- 
bonela,  Fr.  Francisco  Corvera,  Fr.  Ger6nimo  Prieto,  Fr.  Juan 
Antonio  del  Corral,  Fr.  Antonio  Vohomondo,  Fr.  Antonio 
Obreg6n,  Fr.  Jos4  Maria,  Fr.  Buenaventura  Contreras,  Fr. 
Jose  Narvaez,  F'r.  Valverde,  and  Fr.  Diego  Zeinos. 

The  scarcity  of  provisions  was  felt  at  the  seventeenth 
journey;  the  caravan  being  unable  to  travel  much  every 
day,  the  distance  covered  between  the  13th  day  of  October 
and  the  4th  day  of  November,  was  not  what  it  should  have 
been.     Hunger  and  fatigue  were  now  causing  havoc  among 

*Diary  of  De  Varg-as  now  in  tlie  archives  at  Washinoton.  D.  C, 
of  which  the  author  has  a  copy. 

NoTK— The  foreg-oing^  report  of  De  Vargras"  lirst  entry  was  trans- 
lated ahnost  literally  to  preserve  its  orig-inality.  — Author. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  297 

the  colonists,  especially  among  the  children  and  the  women, 
thirty  of  them  had  already  perished  between  those  two  dates. 
The  slow  marches,  and  the  inconveniences  which  the  Span- 
iards had,  of  ne:;essity  to  experience,  on  account  of  the 
people  coming  in  three  great  divisions  were  the  principal 
causes  of  the  deaths  and  sufferings.  To  remedy  the  sad 
state  of  things  among  his  people,  De  Vargas  decided,  when  he 
had  reached  the  vicinity  of  Socorro,  to  march  on  the  vanguard 
accompanied  only  by  his  troops  and  officers  at  a  quick  step, 
with  the  object  of  obtaining  provisions  for  the  colonists  and 
their  families,  ordering  the  colonists  before  leaving  them, 
to  hasten  their  steps  as  much  as  possible,  until  they  arrived 
At  the  pueblo  of  Santo  Domingo  where  he  would  wait  for 
them.  He  then  pushed  ahead  on  the  4th  of  November, 
reaching  in  a  few  days  the  Provinces  of  Tutuhaco  (Isleta), 
Tiguex,  Jemes,  and  Tanos,  having  been  well  received  in  all 
the  pueblos,  except  at  the  Pueblos  of  Cochiti,  Santo  Domingo, 
and  Jemes,  where  it  was  hinted  to  him,  that  supported  by  the 
Tanos  and  the  Teguas  (of  Pojoaque  and  Nambe  etc.,)  they 
were  prepared  to  tight  with  the  Spaniards. 

De  Vargas  was  able  to  collect  a  sufficient  quantit}^  of  corn 
from  the  friendly  pueblos  of  San  Felipe,  Cia,  Santa  Ana  and 
Pecos,  which  he  at  once  sent  to  the  colonists.  The  friendl}'- 
pueblos,  San  Felipe,  Cia,  Santa  Ana,  and  Pecos,  contributed 
not  only  with  food  provisions,  but  each  pueblo  offered  its 
<;ontingent  of  warriors  to  help  De  Vargas  subdue  the  rebels. 
A  re-enforcement  of  200  men  had  already  overtaken  the 
•colonists,  so  that  w'hen  the  succors,  which  De  Vargas  sent 
them,  reached  there,  thej-  were  already  traveling  with  ease. 
They  arrived  at  Santo  Domingo  at  the  beginning  of  December 
1693:  here  De  Vargas  was  waiting  for  them.  From  Santo 
Domingo  he  set  out  for  Santa  Fe  on  the  ir)th  of  December, 
reaching  said  Villa  the  day  following,  without  meeting  any 
resistance  whatsoever. 

First  Taking  of  Santa  Fe  ^December  16-1693. 

On  the  16th  of  December,  De  Vargas  entered  the  Villa 
•carrying  along  with  him,  the  Father  Custodio,  and  a  few 
soldiers  and  the  banner  or  standard  which  he  had  used  before. 
In  the  center  of  the  Plaza  he  had  theTanos  Indians  assembled, 


298  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  said  Indians,  being  in  possession  as  lords  of  the  Villa, 
and,  after  making  them  plant  a  cross,  formal  possession  was 
again  taken  of  the  province  with  religious  ceremonies.  The 
description  of  that  solemn  act  is  given  to  us  by  DeVargas  in 
these  words: 

"December  16th,  1693" — "Entry  Into  This  Town  of  Santa  Fe,  by  Said 
Governor  and  Captain  General. 

"On  the  16th  day  of  the  month  of  December,  date  and  year 
above,  I,  the  said  Governor  and  Captain  General,  about  the 
eleventh  hour  of  said  day,  made  my  entry  into  this  town  of 
Santa  F6,  and  coming  in  sight  of  the  walled  village  where  the 
Teguas  and  Tanos  reside,  with  the  squadron  on  the  march  and 
in  company  of  the  very  illustrious  corporation  of  this  the 
said  town  and  kingdom,  its  sheriff,  color-bearing  alderman, 
the  captain,  Don  Bernardino  Duran  de  Chavez,  carrying  the 
standard  referred  to  in  these  acts  and  under  which  this  land 
was  conquered,  we  arrived  at  the  square  where  we  found 
the  said  natives  congregated,  the  women  apart  from  the  men, 
all  unarmed  and  abstaining  from  any  hostile  demonstration, 
but  instead  behaving  themselves  with  great  composure,  and 
on  proffering  to  them  our  greeting,  saying  "Praise  to  Him," 
several  times,  they  answered  "forever:"  and  seeing  the 
approach  on  foot  of  the  very  reverend  Father  Custodian, 
Friar  Salvador  de  San  Antonio  and  in  his  train  the  fifteen 
monks,  priests  and  reverend  father  missionaires  and  the  lay 
brothers  of  our  Father,  St.  Francis,  chanting  on  their  march 
clivers  psalms,  I  got  down  from  my  horse  and  my  example 
was  followed  by  the  said  corporation,  corporals  and  officers 
of  war  and  by  the  ensign  of  the  royal  standard  in  company 
with  the  said  high  sheriff  and  color-bearing  alderman,  all 
having  gone  out  with  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  said  rev- 
erend Fathers,  who,  in  union  with  their  reverend  Father  Cus- 
todian, came  singing  in  processional  order,  and  then  I  made 
due  obeisance  as  I  was  passing  on  my  way  to  the  entrance  of 
said  village  and  town  and  the  same  thing  was  done  by  my 
followers,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  square  a  cross  had  been 
raised,  where  all  present  knelt  down  and  sang  divers  psalms 
and  prayers  including  the  Te  Deum,  and  in  conclusion  the 
Litany  of  Our  Lady,  and  the  said  ver}^  reverend  Father  Cus- 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  291) 

todian,  attuning  his  voice,  sang  with  sucli  joy  and  fervor 
that  ahnost  everyone  without  exception  was  deeply  moved  by 
the  happiness  of  hearing  in  such  place  the  praises  of  our 
Lord  God  and  his  Most  HoJy  Mother.  And  after  he  had 
sung  the  hymn  three  times,  I  offered  my  congratulations  to 
said  very  reverend  Father  and  the  rest,  telling  them  that  not- 
withstanding that  last  year  at  the  time  of  my  happy  con- 
(luest  I  had  given  possession  to  the  very  reverend  Father, 
President  Friar  Francisco  Corvero,  who  was  one  of  the 
Fathers  who  came  at  the  time  as  chaplains  to  said  army, 
which  said  reverend  Father  President  had  witnessed  and 
accepted,  and  in  this  manner  and  in  the  name  of  this  order 
and  in  favor  of  his  sacred  religion  would  do  it  again  and 
would  grant  it  to  him  anew  with  great  pleasure,  considering 
the  great  resignation  with  which  all,  together  with  their  very 
reverend  Father,  do  so  heartily  and  freely  agree  to  employ 
themselves  in  the  administration  of  the  holy  sacraments  in 
this  said  newly  conquered  kingdom;  to  which  the  said  rev- 
erend Father  answered,  tendering  his  thanks  for  himself  and 
all  his  Order,  and  that  by  the  use  of  said  grant,  invested  and 
given  by  me,  the  said  Governor  and  Captain  General,  they 
had  enough  for  the  maintenance  of  their  rights,  much  more 
than  when  they  entered  immediately  in  the  administration 
of  the  missions  above  mentioned;  and  then  I  spoke  to  said 
corporation  and  told  them  I  restored  to  them  the  possession 
of  their  town,  and  that  likewise  they  ought  and  should  give 
rae,  the  said  Governor  and  Captain  General,  testimonials  of 
having  taken  the  same,  entering  again  therein,  and  of  the 
pacification  of  said  Indians  and  their  submission  to  the 
Divine  and  Humane  Majesty;  in  the  same  manner,  to  the 
said  natives  in  the  plaza  of  said  vihage,  I  told  and  repeated 
what  our  Lord  the  King  had  sent  me  as  to  the  news  I  gave  his 
Royal  Majesty  of  their  surrender  last  year,  with  orders  that 
that  this  kingdom  should  be  repeopled;  that  with  the  infor- 
mation I  had  given  of  my  having  pardoned  them  and  of  their 
obedience  which  was  the  cause  of  said  pardon,  all  his  dis- 
pleasure had  vanished  and  he  would  call  them  again  his  chil- 
dren, and  for  that  reason  he  had  sent  many  priests  in  order 
that  they  might  be  Christians  as  they  were,  and  that  like- 
wise he  sent  me  with  the  soldiers  they  saw,  for  the  purpose 


300  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

of  defending  them  against  their  enemies;  that  I  came  not  to 
ask  anything  of  them,  but  only  for  two  things:  That  they 
should  be  Christians  as  they  ought,  hearing  mass  and  saying 
their  prayers,  and  their  sons  and  women  attending  to  the 
catechism  as  the  Spaniards  did;  and  the  second  was  that 
they  might  be  safe  from  the  Apaches  and  friendly  with  all 
and  that  this  was  my  sole  object  in  coming  and  not  to  ask  or 
take  away  anything:  and  the  said  ver^^  reverend  Custodian 
assured  them  of  my  good  heart  and  the  good  intentions 
which  animated  the  .Spaniards,  which  were  not  as  they  had 
supposed;  that  is  that  I,  the  said  Governor  and  Captain 
General,  had  come  to  kill  them  as  they  said,  he  would  not 
have  come,  and  so  they  should  give  no  credit  to  anything  but 
what  I  and  their  reverend  Father  told  them;  besides  I 
ordered  them  that  if  they  had  among  them  any  bad  and 
malicious  Indian  they  should  tie  him  up  and  bring  him  to 
me  to  ascertain  the  truth  about  what  he  said,  and  in  case  of 
falsehood  I  would  order  his  instant  execution,  and  that  in 
this  way  we  could  live  as  brothers  and  be  very  happy,  and 
after  this  talk  we  went  away  again,  leaving  them  their  vil- 
lage, to  seek  a  more  protected  site,  the  soil  being  covered 
with  snow,  and  only  about  mid-day  I  found  in  the  outflows 
and  slopes  a  table  land  and  mountain  susceptible  of  some 
repair,  and  therein  I,  the  said  Governor  and  Captain  General, 
established  my  camp,  despising  the  dwelling  place,  a  tower 
house,  which  had  been  repaired  for  my  occupation,  having 
in  the  same  a  tire  place,  which  a  resident  told  me  belonged 
to  said  house  and  as  such  to  himself;  to  which  I  replied  he 
might  repair  to  the  same,  and  in  testimony  whereof,  regard- 
ing said  entry,  I  signed  my  name  in  company  with  the  very 
illustrious  corporation  and  war  officers,  likewise  the  two 
secretaries  who  were  present  therein  in  said  town.  Dated 
ut  supra." 

"Seal  Diego  de  Vargas  Zapata  Lujan  Ponce  de  Leon. 

"Lorenzo  de  Madrid— Fernando  de  Chavez — J.  de  Leyba — 
Lazaro  de  Meznuia — Roque  Madrid — Joseph  Miera— Xavier 
de  Ortega.     Secretary  of  the  Town  Corporation, 

"Juan  de  Almasan. 

"Before  me:     Antonio  de  Valverde, 

"Secretary  of  Governor  and  of  War." 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  801 

"I  attest  the  above:  Antonio  Rael  de  Aguilar,  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  Government  and  War  of  the  Governor  and 
Captain  General.' 

Faithful  Juan  Ye  Discovers  The  Conspiracy. 

For  several  days  the  Spaniards  remained  encamped  in  the 
place  indicated,  but  De  Vargas  did  not  cease  to  make  recog- 
nizances in  all  directions  for  two  reasons:  (1)  To  find  out 
if  there  was  in  all  the  pueblos  sufficient  corn  for  the 
subsistence  of  the  Indians  and  the  Spaniards;  and 
(2)  to  sound  the  Indians  in  the  matter  of  again  rendering 
obedience  to  him.  While  De  Vargas  was  thus  maturing 
plans  that  would  lead  to  a  prompt,  pacific,  and  permanent 
conquest  of  the  Tanos  Indians,  the  Picuris  and  Teguas  were 
plotting  clandestinely  another  uprising.  De  Vargas  daily 
visited  the  Villa,  but  did  not  notice  anything  to  indicate  re- 
bellion on  the  part  of  the  Tanos.  In  one  of  those  visits  it 
became  necessary  to  inspect  the  chapel  of  San  Miguel  (until 
our  days  used  by  the  Christian  Brothers  of  St.  Michael's 
College)  which  had  been  almost  totally  destroyed  by  the 
Indians  in  1680  when  Otermin  left;  and  after  he  had  given 
the  proper  orders  for  needed  repairs,  he  met  Juan  Y6,  the 
Governor  of  Pecos,  the  loyal  friend  of  the  Spaniards  who, 
just  as  he  had  done  with  Otermin  thirteen  years  before, 
revealed  to  De  Vargas  the  secret  of  the  conspiracy  that  was 
being  hatched  by  the  said  pueblos  to  destroy  the  Spaniards. 
When  the  captains  of  De  Vargas,  Roque  Madrid,  Jose  Arias, 
Antonio  Jorge,  Lazaro  de  Misquio,  Rafael  Tellez  .Jir6n,  Juan 
de  Dios  Lucero  de  Godoy,  Peroando  Duran  y  Chavez,  Diego 
Varela,  Francisco  de  Anaya,  Juan  Ruiz,  Alfonzo  Rael  de 
Aguilar,  and  Antonio  Velarde,  together  with  officers  of  the 
township,  *became  aware  of  the  conspiracy  that  was  being^ 
hatched  against  the  Spaniards,  and  as  they  were  suffering 
very  much  on  account  of  the  cold  season  of  the  year,  they 
laid  a  petition  before  De  Vargas  urging  him  to  dislodge  the 
Tanos  from  the  Villa,  so  the  Spanish  families  might  enter  to 
dwell  in  the  houses  that  had  been  constructed    by  Ofiate  and 

*Of   all  those   Captains  there  are  yet  in  New  Mexico  thousands  of 
descendants.— The  Author. 


302  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

his  colonists.  The  petition  was  based  upon  the  imperative 
necessity  imposed  by  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  and 
because  sickness  and  death  were  spreading  among  the 
colonists  more  and  more  every  day.  De  Vargas  with  that 
magnanimity  of  soul  which  so  distinguished  him  from  his 
predecessors,  preferred  to  suffer  the  rigors  of  the  cold  season 
rather  than  force  an  outbreak,  believing  that  the  Tanos 
would  gradually  leave  for  their  pueblo,  Galisteo,  but  he  soon 
discovered  the  perfidy  and  duplicity  of  said  Indians.  On  the 
27th  of  December,  1693,  a  blind  Indian  accompanied  by 
another  Indian  friend,  who  was  leading  him,  came  to  the 
tent  of  De  Vargas  and  informed  De  Vargas  that,  in  a  day  or 
two,  the  Teguas  andPicuris  Indians  would  arrive  to  unite  with 
the  Tanos,  to  drive  out  the  Spaniards.  De  Vargas  who 
was  never  caught  napping  redoubled  his  precautions; 
summoned  a  council  of  war,  and,  following  the  unanimous 
opinion  of  all  his  people  and  troops,  prepared  for  the  battle 
which  was  to  seal  forever  the  fate  of  the  rebellious  and 
traitorous  Indians,  and  the  insurance  of  the  stable  civiliza- 
tion of  the  province. 

Terrible  Strife — Final  Taking  of  the  Villa — ^The   Faithful  Pecos  Indians. 

On  the  next  day,  the  twenty-eighth  of  December,  the  In- 
dians gave  their  warhoop;  walled  all  the  entrances  to  the 
Villa  (they  had  it  already  well  walled  all  around),  fortified 
themselves  well  in  ramparts  and  filled  the  roofs  with  armed 
Indians.  At  the  sight  of  these  demonstrations,  De  Vargas 
raised  his  camp  and  placed  it  at  the  foot  of  the  Villa  walls  in 
such  a  shape  as  to  furnish  the  Spaniards  a  good  camp  and 
with  the  Villa  well  besieged.  De  Vargas  sent  on  the  l?9th 
an  emissary  to  the  Governor  and  Chief  of  the  Indians  telling 
him  that  only  by  surrendering  himself,  and  the  other  In- 
dians would  they  escape  death,  which  would  be  meted  out 
to  them  if  they  insisted  on  their  rebelliousness.  Bolsas,  the 
Chief,  answered  with  defiance,  insults  and  blasphemies.  The 
army,  which  had  been  re-enforced  by  the  200  soldiers,  of 
whom  we  have  already  spoken,  was  made  aware  of  the 
answer  sent  back  by  Bolsas;  where  upon  a  live  desire  of 
exterminating   the    rebels    burned  within    the    Spaniards. 


TLLUSTRATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  303 

Witliout  waitintj  any  longer,  the  measures  were  quickly 
taken,  wliich  the  crisis  demanded.  The  order  of  assault  was 
arranged,  the  respective  divisions  were  placed,  with  their 
Captains  at  their  heads  in  front  of  the  altar,  which  had  been 
improvised  for  the  occasion;  and,  De  Vargas  kneeling  in 
front,  they  all  made,  in  a  loud  voice,  an  act  of  contrition,  and 
received  absolution  from  the  priest  who  preached  to  them 
a  tender  and  patriotic  sermon.  At  the  end  of  the  imposing 
ceremony  they  rose  up  and  forming  in  order  of  battle,  they 
followed  the  Standard  of  their  Sovereign  upon  which  they 
placed  the  image  of  "Our  Lady  of  Remedies,'"  and  rushed 
upon  the  Villa  with  the  intrepidity  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  of 
those  times.  A  great  number  of  friendly  Indians  from  the 
Pueblo  of  Pecos  were  fighting  on  the  side  of  the  Spaniards, 
and  as  courageously  as  the  most  veteran  soldiers;  the  battle 
was  most  obstinate:  it  lasted  the  entire  day  without  either 
part3^  showing  any  lessening  of  briskness  or  resolution.  At 
noon  when  the  battle  was  at  its  height  the  armies  of  the 
Teguas  and  Tanos  came  in  sight  on  the  hills  which  sur- 
rounded the  city  on  the  northwest  side.  The  cavalry  troop 
charged  on  them  causing  them  a  great  slaughter  and  obli- 
ging those,  who  were  left,  to  flee  preciptiatedly.  The  ob- 
scurity of  the  night  put  a  stop  to  the  bloody  fray,  but  the 
Spaniards  "slept  upon  their  arms,"  and  at  daybreak  re- 
sumed the  assault  upon  the  Villa  taking  the  Indians  by  sur- 
prise; they  scaled  the  walls  at  the  shout  of  "Santiago,'"  and, 
with  frightful  celerity,  rushed  upon  the  rebels  who  ran  to 
and  fro  so  scared  and  in  such  disorder  that  they  obstructed 
one  another.  When  the  Spaniards  had  taken  the  principal 
trenches,  the  locks  of  the  gates  were  burst  and  the  main 
body  of  the  army  entered  following  the  General  who  had 
been  the  first  one  to  set  foot  within  the  walls.  Many  In- 
dians were  able  to  escape,  but  a  great  number  were  left 
dead.  Their  governor  hanged  himself,  before  the  Spaniards 
could  capture  him.  Seventy  Indian  warriors  were  made 
prisoners,  among  them  Chief  "Bolsas,"and  they  were  all  shot. 
The  number  of  women  and  children  captured  was  four  hun- 
dred. De  Vargas  partitioned  the  women  and  children  among 
the  Spanish  families,  the  gift  being  subject  to  the  approval 


304  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO, 

of  the  King.  De  Vargas  imposed  upon  the  recipients  of 
their  captives  duties  of  fathers  towards  their  sons.*  Gra- 
naries filled  with  corn  and  other  provisions  were  found  in 
the  Villa,  and  also  some  head  of  cattle  and  sheep,  with  which 
the  Spaniards  could  subsist  for  a  long  while,  and  continue 
the  war  against  the  rebel  Indians  of  the  provinces  of  Los 
Tanos  and  Teguas  and  their  allies,  against  whom  he  had  to 
wage  war  until  he  completely  humiliated  them  in  the  Autumn 
of  the  year  1694. 

Fr.  Farfan  Asks  for  Help — Cultivation  of  Lands  Commenced — New 
Uprisings. 
While  the  captains  of  DeVargas  were  out  reconnoitering 
the  condition  of  the  land,  and  the  pueblos  by  different  ways, 
DeVargas  was  framing  plans  to  insure  the  subsistence  and 
prosperity  of  his  army  and  colonists  who  were  now  domiciled 
at  the  Villa.  He  made  a  partition  of  the  lands  in  the  nearby 
places  of  the  Villa  in  February  1694;  he  distributed  corn 
seed  to  the  camps  for  planting,  and  ordered  the  lands  to  be 
sown,  giving  the  husbandmen  a  permanent  escort  that  they 
might  work  without  any  danger  of  loosing  their  lives  in  the 
continued  assaults  from  the  Indians.  While  DeVargas  was 
thus  engaged  in  making  repairs  and  in  improving  the  con- 
dition of  the  colony,  adverse  and  alarming  reports  were 
brought  to  him  with  respect  to  the  operations  of  war,  which 
the  Taos,  Picuris,  and  Tegua  Indians,  who  had  joined  the 
Jemes  and  Queres,  were  making.  At  the  root  of  the  insur- 
rection came  the  realization.  On  a  sudden  a  large  number 
of  Indians  from  those  pueblos  appeared:  they  assaulted  the 
colonists,  and  the  escort  they  met  on  the  sown  fields  but  did 
no  greater  damage  than  to  carry  away  some  horses  and 
mules.     From  that  day  on  the  incursions  and  depredations 

*  This  noble  and  Christian  act  of  De  Vargas  has  been  perverted  by 
a  great  many  historians  who,  never  having  seen  the  authentic  authority, 
have  fallen  into  the  proverbial  error  of  stating  distorted  facts.  The 
latest  writer,  Mr.  R.  E.  Twitchell,  has  reiterated  the  injustice  by  declar- 
ing thus:  ''Four  hundred  women  and  children  were  taken  and  sold  into 
slavery"  (TwitchelTs  Leading  Facts  on  New  Mexico  History  Vol.  1  p. 
'Mi).  Thus  has  the  character  of  one  of  the  greatest  and  noblest  of  the 
conquistadores— certainly  the  cleanest  and  uprightest  of  them  all — 
been  besmirched.— Thk  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  305 

of  the  Indians,  became  quite  frequent  until  De Vargas  was 
constrained  to  adopt  their  tactics,  organizing^  campaigns  of 
soldiers  and  colonists  which  often  attacked  the  rebel  pueblos 
and  their  allies,  despoiling  them  of  the  stolen  stock,  making 
their  children  captives,  and  gathering  all  the  corn  they  could. 

Bailie  of  ihe  Mesa  Prieta. 
De Vargas  was  well  convinced  that  if  he  did  not  undertake 
an  active  campaign  in  person,  the  uprising  of  1680  would  be 
repeated,  but,  as  he  was  waiting  for  the  re-enforcements 
which  Father  Farfan  was  bringing  from  Mexico  he  delayed 
the  movement  from  day  to  day.  The  frequent  robberies  and 
murders,  however,  perpetrated  by  the  Indians,  compelled 
him  at  last  to  take  that  step  without  waiting  for  Father 
Farfdn.  In  the  mesa  near  and  to  the  south  of  the  Pueblo  of 
San  Ildefonzo  (known  as  the  "Mesa  Prieta'')  the  Teguas, 
Taos,  Tanos,  and  Jemes  Indians  were  entrenched.  From 
there  they  s'  nt  daily  parties  to  steal  slock  and  kill  Spaniards. 
In  February,  De  Vargas  reorganized  an  army  of  100  men, 
and,  carrying  along  two  pieces  of  artillery,  he  attacked  them 
on  the  tenth.  The  combat  lasted  almost  the  entire  day 
without  any  favorable  result  and  with  the  loss  of  15  Indians, 
and  on  the  side  of  the  Spaniards  25  wounded.  The  next 
day  De  Vargas  pushed  the  siege  still  closer,  and,  with  new 
re-enforcements,  brought  by  the  soldiers  who  had,  the  day 
before  taken  the  wounded  to  the  Villa,  re-attacked  the  im- 
pregnable mesa,  in  a  battle  of  six  hours,  without  being  able 
to  dislodge  the  rebels.  The  Indians,  however,  were  unable 
to  resist  much  longer,  owing  to  the  fact  that  provisions  and 
drinking  water  were  becoming  scare,  and  for  that  reason  the 
Indians  made  a  desperate  effort  the  next  day  to  defeat  the 
Spaniards,  hundreds  of  them  coming  down;  but  only  to  be 
driven  back  by  the  Spaniards  and  obliged  to  take  refuge  on 
the  rock  with  the  rest.  The  siege  thus  lasted  until  the  19th, 
when,  on  account  of  scarcity  of  provisions  and  ammunitions 
of  war,  De  Vargas  abandoned  the  camp,  and  returned  to 
Santa  F6,  with  the  trophies  he  had  captured,  and  leaving  40 
Indians  dead.  The  trophies  consisted  of  more  than  100 
horses  and  mules,  about  150  fanegas  (a  "fanega"  is  equal  to 
three  bushels)  of  corn.  With  that  action  the  campaign  against 


306  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

the  Teguas  and  their  allies  ended  for  a  short  time,  but  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  territory  the  Indians  of  Cochiti, 
Jeraes  and  their  allies  were  hostile,  and  De  Vargas  proceeded 
against  them  without  delay.  With  the  aid  of  the  friendly 
Queres  he  was  enabled  to  disperse  them,  although  hostilities 
did  not  cease  with  that  campaign,  De  Vargas  returned  to 
Santa  Fe  about  the  middle  of  March  to  consult  with  the  offi- 
cials of  his  staff  upon  a  final  plan  of  campaign  which  he  again 
undertook  in  April,  as  we  shall  say  hereafter. 

The  Apaches  Surrender — Letter  of  Fr.  Farfan — De  Vargas  Gives 
Them  an  Interview. 

On  the  27th  of  March  (1694),  the  Governor  of  Pecos,  Juan 
Ye,  and  three  Apaches  came  to  Santa  Fe  to  visit  De  Vargas, 
and  the  Apaches  to  render  obedience.  This  event  was  of 
great  comfort  to  the  Spaniards. 

The  interview  appears  in  De  Vargas*  diary  (from  which  all 
that  is  narrated  in  this  chapter  is  derived)  in  these  words: 

"At  twenty-six  days  of  the  present  month  of  March  of  the 
date  and  year  (1694),  Don  Juan  el  de  Ye  arrived  at  this  Villa 
of  Santa  Fe,  bringing  in  his  company  three  Apaches;  and, 
being  in  my  presence,  in  their  language  through  Domingo  de 
Herrera  who  acted  as  interpreter,  said  that  they  belonged  to 
the  outspread  encampments  of  the  Apache  nation  of  the 
plains;  that  before  the  kingdom  was  lost,  (1680),  and  the 
Spaniards  went  out  on  that  account,  they  had  their  friendship 
with  them,  and  in  attention  to  it,  the}^  often  came  and  went 
out  in  peace,  seeing  in  their  ransoms  that  not  much  use  or 
interest  accrued  to  the  ones  or  the  others,  through  the 
medium  of  the  traffic  and  barter,  and  that  having  reached  the 
Pueblo  of  Pecos,  three  tents  of  their  said  nation  and  encamp- 
ment, and  having  received  from  the  said  Pecos  information 
of  the  return  of  the  Spaniards  to  this  kingdom,  they  had 
come  with  pleasure  to  give  me  their  obedience  as  their  gov- 
ernor, to  know  me,  and  to  ask  my  leave,  that,  by  means  of 
that  security,  they  might  return  at  once  to  inform  the  said 
people  of  their  nation  and  encampment  by  the  end  of  the 
season,  which  is  by  October,  that  they  might  believe  that  the 
return  of  said   Spaniards  was  a  certainty  so  they  might  see 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  307 

in  said  Pueblo  of  Pecos,  the  said  people  they  had  left  in  said 
three  tents;  and  L  the  said  Governor  and  Captain  General, 
promised  them  ample  protection,  and  I  treated  the  said  three 
Indians  graciously,  caressed  them  and  gave  them  presents, 
and,  for  their  satisfaction,  I  commanded  the  Aide-de-Camp, 
Lorenzo  Madrid,  with  the  said  interpreter,  and  the  Adjutant, 
Antonio  Velarde  and  soldiers  and  neighbors,  to  accom- 
pany them  to  Pecos  who,  having  arrived  at  said  pueblo,  were 
received  by  said  natives  and  said  Apaches  who  were  very  glad 
to  see  them, and  they  paid  them  liberally  buffalo  meat  and  deer 
skins  which  they  were  bringing  along,  saying  that  they  were 
going  immediately  and  that  they  would  be  back  at  the  said 
time  of  October,  the  greater  part  of  that  encampment,  at  the 
said  Pueblo  of  Pecos,  where  they  would  come  down  for  the 
said  ransom,  as  they  did  at  the  time  of  the  said  Spaniards, 
who  went  out,  and  that  it  may  appear  patent  the  said  Gov- 
ernor and  Captain  General,  and  the  said  Aide-de-Camp,  and 
Adjutant,  signed  it  with  me,  together  with  my  Secretary  of 
Government  and  War. 

"D.  Diego  de  Vargas,  etc.   (Seal). 

"Lorenzo  Madrid.     (Seal). 

"Antonio  Velarde.  (Seal). 
Before  me: 

Alphonso  Rael  de  Aguilar, 

"Sec.  of  Gov.  and  War." 

Letter  from  F.  Farfan. 

Three  days  after  the  alluded  interview,  De  Vargas  received 
a  letter  from  Father  Farfan  asking  succor  for  himself  and 
the  people  who  came  with  him.  Bancroft  says  that  De 
Vargas  received  Fr.  Farfan's  letter  on  the  23d  of  the  month  * 
of  January  (1694),  but  in  that  also  he  is  in  error.  Archbishop 
Salpointe,t  based  probably  on  said  authority  of  Bancroft,  or 
of  Prince,  and  the  other  English  speaking  authors  affirm  the 
same  error  i.  e.,  that  said  letter  of  Fr.  Farfan  came  to  the 
hands  of  De  Vargas  in  the  month  of  January.     It  was  not  so. 

*  Bancroft:     "Ariz,  and  N.  M."  206. 

t  Salpointe:     "Soldiers  of  the  Cross,"  82. 


308  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Vargas  himself  gives  us  in  his  said  diary  the  correct  infor- 
mation, saying: 

"In  this  Villa  of  Santa  Fe  at  30  days  of  the  month  of 
March,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety  four,  at  the 
hour  of  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  squad  corporal, 
Diego  Servin,  arrived  with  a  letter  from  Rev.  Father  Fray 
Francisco  Farfan,  General  Procurator  of  the  missions,  and 
Custodio  (Superior)  of  the  conversion  of  San  Pablo  of  our 
Father  St.  Francis  of  this  said  kingdom  and  province  of  New 
Mexico  with  letters  addressed  to  me,  their  date  atTabalaopo, 
the  6th  instant,  (March),  and  year  in  which  he  states  by  it 
that  he  is  coming  in  charge  of  the  wagons  and  bringing  the 
sixty  six  families  and  a  half  which  the  most  excellent  Lord 
Viceroy  and  Count  of  Galves,  on  the  Ibth  of  September,  one 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety  three,  delivered  to  his 
charge  as  his  Sindicate  General  at  the  court  and  city  of 
Mexico  and  he  tells  me  in  said  letter  to  send  him  immediate 
succors  of  provisions  and  mules  for  his  prompt  departure 
from  El  Paso  del  Rio  del  Norte,  when  he  arrives  there  because 
he  states  he  brings  only  a  wagon  load  of  flour  and  another 
of  corn  meal  which  will  be  hardly  sufficient  to  last  him 
during  his  stay  at  that  place  to  make  the  necessary  repairs 
to  said  wagons.'' 

De  Vargas  had  already  shortly  after  his  return  from  San 
Ildefonzo,  sent  to  Father  Farfan,  of  provisions  to  about  one 
hundred  fanegas  of  corn  from  the  corn  he  had  brought  from 
San  Ildefonso,  of  which  we  have  already  spoken.  De  Vargas, 
however,  gave  immediate  answer  to  Father  Farfan's  letter, 
sending  him  at  the  same  time,  the  corn  the  Father  called  for. 
De  Vargas' letter  reads  thus:  "My  Rev.  Father  and  Lord, 
answering  your  Paternity's  letter  with  a  pleasure  equal  to 
the  esteem  which  my  anxiet}^  desires  for  you  in  these  re- 
mote parts,  I  dispense  with  exaggeration  when  with  the 
experience  you  have  of  them,  it  would  be  an  inadvertence  of 
mine  to  say  to  your  Paternity  how  important  it  would  have 
been  that  those  families  were  already  settled;  for  at  the 
mere  sight  of  their  entry  and  the  news  about  them  which 
the  frontier  nations  should  have  had,  many  good  conse- 
quences should  have  followed.  The  accidents  which  your 
Paternity  has  had  leave    me    sorrowful,    and  as  you   have 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  309 

already  reached  that  town  of  El  Paso,  I  appreciate  your 
efforts  in  tiie  prompt  execution  of  your  desire  to  see  this 
kingdom,  a  thing  which,  it  is  clear  will  cause  you  to  come  to 
the  acknowledgement  that  it  is  necessary  to  take  advantage 
of  the  time  that  we  may  profit  thereby,  employing  the  pro- 
visions on  the  road;  as  well  as  to  insure  the  crossing  of  the 
river  before  the  high  water  makes  it  impossible  and  also  that 
I  may  be  helped  with  those  arms  and  ammunitions,  so  that 
these  rebels  may  recognize  the  power  of  his  Majesty,  whom 
God  guard:  and  our  entry  as  well  as  the  coming  of  the 
Spaniards  may  be  insured,  their  Captains  are  saying 
that  we  come  out  to  go  back  immediately,  and  so 
I  request  your  Paternity  not  to  delay  in  coming,  remember- 
ing that  Fr.  Padre  San  Buenaventura  leaves  on  the  2nd  of 
April  with  his  thirteen  wagons,  and  has  asked  me  to  help 
him  with  fifteen  mules  in  order  to  better  facilitate  said 
journey.  He  carries  one  hundred  fanegas,  of  corn,  meas- 
ured and  sacked,  which  he  will  deliver  to  your  Paternity  as 
provisions  for  those  families,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  your 
Paternity  will  be  able  to  reach  San  Diego  with  said  provi- 
sions and  wagons." 

De  Vargas  after  making  other  suggestions  of  less  import- 
ance closes  his  letter,  saying: 

"Your  Paternity  asks  me  to  dispatch  to  you  100  mules 
which  is  impossible;  even  the  fifteen  I  give,  I  do  it  to  serve 
said  father  and  that  your  Paternity  may  have  said  100  fanegas 
of  corn,  which  Father  Buenaventura  leaves  with  you,  and 
together  wnth  the  freights  which  his  wagons  may  take  from 
your  Paternity  for  the  conduction  of  those  families  from  that 
Town  of  El  Paso  to  this  said  Villa,  and  also  because  the  mules 
I  have  have  alone  done  all  the  work,  both  saddled  by  the  war 
men  in  the  repeated  sallies  to  the  rebel  pueblos,  as  well  as  the 
transportation  of  their  corn,  and  also  in  helping  to  guard 
the  horses  which  only  by  such  means  was  possible  to  keep 
them  in  such  an  excessive  work.  And  so  your  Paternity 
will  please  excuse  me,  and  help  yourself  the  best  you  can 
with  the  mules  which  said  father  Fr.  Buenaventura  takes 
for  you,  and  that  you  may  be  assured  in  all,  and  may  have 
no  doubt,  I  send  Zervin  with  the  wagons;  for  I  promise  my- 
self that  your  Paternity  will  be  shortly  in  these  places,  and 


310  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  time  of  your  delay  will  affect  me  very  much  because  of 
what  you  may  need.  Wishing  with  all  sincerity  that  Our 
Lord  may  grant  your  Paternal  Reverence  many  happy  years. 
I  thank  you  for  the  present  you  sent  of  rice  and  shrimp. 
Done  in  this  Villa  of  Santa  Fe,  in  its  fort  and  garrison  on 
the  first  of  April,  1694. 

"Your  most  attentive  friend  and  servant  who  kisses  your 
hands." 

"D.  DiKGO  DE  Vargas  etc.,     (Seal)" 

With  the  reading  of  De  Vargas'  letters,  the  reader  will  see 
the  almost  incredible  sufferings  which  the  colonists  of  New 
Mexico  had  to  stand,  and  the  constancy  with  which,  though 
surrounded  by  enemies,  and  with  the  utmost  shortage  of 
ammunitions  of  war,  food,  provisions,  and  of  men  and  arms, 
they  persevered  until  they  succeeded  in  finally  subduing  so 
many  thousands  of  Indians,  and  in  their  pacification,  and 
christianization.  Truly  those  Spanish  priests,  colonists  and 
military  men  were  great  men  in  the  full  meaning  of  the  word. 
Let  us  now  turn  again  our  attention  to  the  Villa  of  Santa  Fe 
and  the  continual  strifes  of  its  brave  defenders  against  the 
Indian  rebels. 

The  Hostile   Encounters  Continue. 

While  De  Vargas  was  receiving  the  obedience  of  the 
Apaches,  the  Jemes  and  Cochiti  Indians  were  waging  war, 
with  the  help  of  the  Acoma,  Moquis  and  Zunis,  against  the 
Queres,  Cias  and  Santa  Anas.  The  Indians  of  the  friendly 
pueblos  sent  a  committee  of  Quere  Indians  to  ask  for  aid, 
a  thing  which  De  Vargas  granted  them,  and  by  going  him- 
self with  quite  a  number  of  soldiers  on  April  r2th  in  pursuit 
of  the  rebels  who  were  well  intrenched  in  the  Mesa  of  Ciene- 
guilla.  On  the  16th,  he  assaulted  them  and  after  an  obs- 
tinate battle  he  dislodged  them  from  their  new  pueblo  with 
the  loss  of  twenty  rebel  warriors,  and  the  capture  of  three 
hundred  women  and  children,  70  horses  and  about  1,000  head 
of  sheep.  The  same  day  the  Teguas  had  attacked  the  Span- 
iards at  Santa  F^,  but  they  were  defeated  by  Captain  Gra- 
nillo,  who  was  acting  as  commandant  in  the  absence  of  De 
Vargas.  At  Cieneguilla  the  rebels,  who  had  come  to  re-enforce 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  311 

the  conquered,  assaulted  De  Varj,'as  again  causing  the  death 
of  two  soldiers  and  recovering  ir)0  captives  but  were  tinally 
routed  by  tlie  Spaniards.  Witli  such  brilliant  victories  De 
Vargas  thought  that  the  rebels  would  not  delay  in  submit- 
ting; he  ordered  the  improvised  pueblo  where  the  conquered 
had  lodged  themselves,  to  be  burned  and  returned  to  Santa 
Fe  on  the  27th  of  the  month.  Right  after  his  arrival  he 
made,  on  the  ^Sth  a  second  distribution  of  lands,  and  of  the 
captives  and  animals  captured,  to  the  army,  the  priests  and  the 
colonists.  On  the  liyth  of  the  same  month  he  resolved  to  send 
Indian  emissaries  to  the  Pueblos  of  Zuiii,  Moqui,  and  to  the 
other  rebel  pueblos.  He  did  this  by  sending  an  emissary  to 
each  province.  As  the  letters  he  sent  to  each  Pueblo  were 
identical,  one  of  them  is  reproduced  here,  the  one  sent  to  Zufii, 
for  the  better  information  of  the  reader.  The  letter  follows: 
"My  Son, Co-Father, Governor  and  Captains  of  War  of  that 
Peiiol  of  Zuiii:  I  desire  very  much  to  embrace  you,  as  I  have 
told  my  Co-Father  Bentura  who  carries  this  (letter).  You 
must  all  know  my  good  heart,  and  that  I  love  you  as  children 
of  mine,  and  I  advise  you  that  the  Lord  Viceroy  was  highly 
pleased  and  sends  me  with  the  priests  to  this  kingdom  at 
once  with  the  Spaniards  and  their  wives  and  children,  and 
many  soldiers  to  defend  you,  and  also  that  you  be  certain 
that  there  is  only  one  God  and  the  King  and  that  only  I  shall 
command  you.  My  Co-father  Bentura  has  told  me  that  the 
Apaches  are  your  enemies,  and  also  of  the  ambush  played  on 
you  by  the  Moquis  together  with  the  Yutas  and  Apaches 
Coninos,  and  so  it  seems  to  me  that  as  soon  as  I  go  to  you,  as 
I  shall  as  soon  as  I  may  be  able  to  leave  this  Villa,  in  order  to 
see  and  meet  your  foes,  and  make  them  retire,  so  that  after 
that  they  shall  not  have  time  and  occasion  to  again  attack  you, 
as  they  have  done,  at  the  time  you  were  planting  in  the  fields, 
and  they  will  not  take  aw^ay  from  you  with  ease  the  stock  and 
horses  you  have,  and  they  shall  not  kill  you  and  your  children 
and  wives,  and  so  it  seems  to  me  that  this  summer  you  can 
plant  those  lands  and  you  can  come  and  live  in  these  deserted 
pueblos  of  the  lower  river,  when  you  see  fit,  and  in  them  you 
will  be  secured  and  well  pleased  because  they  are  near  to 
this  Villa,  and  the  Spaniards  will  buy  from  you  what  you 
may  reap,  and   with  the  cloth   they  shall  give  you,  you  will 


312  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

have  enough  to  barter  with  the  friendly  Apaches  for  buffalo 
robes  and  thick  elk  skins  which  you  need,  and  you  shall 
advise  me  with  the  said  Bentura  of  your  resolution.  I  shall 
not  endeavor  to  make  you  come  down,  but  I  simply  tell  you 
my  opinion  because  I  love  you  much,  and  may  God  grant  you 
many  years.  Done  at  Santa  Fe,  today,  Thursday,  twenty- 
ninth  of  April,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety-four. 

"Your  Governor  and  Captain  General  who  loves  you  much 
and  desires  to  see  you. 
"Don   Diego  de  Vargas  Zapata  Lujan  Ponce  ue  Leon." 

(Seal). 

The  diplomatic  efforts  of  De  Vargas  did  not  achieve  the 
results  which  he  desired.  The  uprisings  continued  to  mul- 
tiply. On  every  side  the  rebels  harrassed  the  Spaniards 
and  the  friendly  pueblos  so  that  De  Vargas  and  his  handful 
of  valiant  soldiers  had  little  or  no  rest.  As  the  author  says 
"valiant  soldiers,"  he  desires,  as  a  homage  to  truth,  and  to  do 
justice  to  the  brave  Indians,  who,  at  all  times  and  places,  and 
under  all  circumstances,  gave  convincing  proofs  of  their 
sincere  loyalty  fighting  on  the  side  of  the  Spaniards  against 
the  rebel  and  traitorous  Indians,  to  say  a  few  words  in  their 
favor.  The  author  has  not  yet  been  able  to  find  a  single 
historian  who  dedicates  a  word  of  praise  and  admiration  to 
those  Indian  heroes.  De  Vargas  and  his  valiant  and  warlike 
soldiers  would  have,  perhaps,  paid  in  the  end  with  their  lives 
for  the  glory  they  were  seeking,  had  not  the  Pueblos  of  Pecos, 
Cia,  Santa  Ana,  San  Felipe  and  the  Queres  been  loyal  to  them. 
As  Cortes,  without  the  aid  of  his  Indian  friends,  would  never 
have  subdued  the  noble  hero  Cuahutemoc,  the  greatest  hero 
in  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  the  expedition  of  De  Vargas  would 
have  ended  in  a  fatal  failure  without  the  opportune  and  valu- 
able aid  of  Juan  Y6  and  his  sympathizing  Indians.  It  is  but 
just,  then,  that  history  forget  not  the  debt  which  civilization 
owes  to  those  good  Indians,  perpetuating  the  memory  of  their 
exploits  as  has  been  done  with  the  Castilian  heroes  we  have 
alluded  to.  Blessed,  then,  be  the  memory  of  Juan  Y6  and  the 
other  Indians  who,  with  a  disinterested  patriotism  co-oper- 
ated in  achieving  the  civilization  and  christianization  of  New 
Mexico! 


I[.LUSTUATED    HISTORY    OF    NKVV    MEXICO.  813 

Battle  Between  Pueblo  Indians-  Remains  of  Fray  Juan  de  Jesus  Dis- 
covered. 

On  the  north  of  Santa  Fe,  the  Spaniards  continued  strug- 
ghng,  helped  by  the  Pecos,  against  the  Teguas  who  were 
found,  as  we  have  seen,  together  with  many  of  the  Picuris, 
Taos  and  Tanos,  entrenched  on  the  summit  of  the  Penol  of 
San  lidefonso.  In  tlie  southern  part  of  the  territory,  the 
Jemes  Indians  and  their  allies  gave  no  truce  to  the  friendly 
Pueblos.  In  one  of  the  battles  fought  in  May,  the  Queres  came 
out  victorious,  causing  many  losses  to  their  enemies  and  cap- 
turing many  of  them.  Among  the  captured  prisoners  were 
live  who  knew  in  which  place  the  remains  of  Father  Fray  de 
Jesus  had  been  buried  at  Jemes.  These  Indians  were  sent 
to  De  Vargas,  who  got  one  of  them  to  promise  to  show  the 
place  where  the  remains  of  said  father  were  buried  and  also 
to  show  where  the  ornaments,  chalices  and  missal  were  to  be 
found,  in  virtue  of  which  promise,  which  was  faithfully  ful- 
filled, as  will  be  seen  further  on,  De  Vargas  spared  his  life, 
ordering  the  shooting  of  the  other  four,  one  of  whom  was 
also  spared,  through  the  intercession  of  the  Governor  of 
Pecos,  Juan  Ye. 

Arrival  of  Fr.  Farfan  and  His  Colonists — Campaign  Against  the 
Teguas — Recovery  of  the  Remains  of  Fr.  Juan  de  Jesus  -  Remains 
Brought  to  Santa  Fe — Second  Battle  of  Mesa  Prieta. 

At  the  end  of  July  (1694),  Fr.  Farfdn  and  the  colonists 
arrived  at  Santa  Fe.  De  Vargas  had  already  determined 
to  make  a  settlement  with  those  colonists,  sending  them  to 
the  place  we  know  today  by  the  name  of  "Santa  Cruz  de  la 
Canada,'"  but  he  had  to  wait  until  the  next  year  to  gain  time 
for  the  termination  of  the  war,  for  that  reason  the  colonists 
had  to  remain  a  long  while  in  Santa  Fe.  De  Vargas  next 
undertook  an  active  campaign  against  the  pueblos  of  the 
north,  but  his  first  voyage  was  divested  of  any  imporfianfcer 
because  he  found  the  pueblos  of  San  Juan,  Picuris,  and  Taos 
abandoned,  wherefore  he  returned  to  Santa  F6  for  the  pur- 
pose of  attacking  the  Indians  who  were  on  the  Peflol  of 
San  lidefonso  (Mesa  Prieta).  He  started  from  Santa  F^ 
to    Jemes    in    August    accompanied    by    the    Fathers,  Fr. 


314  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Alpuente,  Antonio  Obregon  and  Antonio  Carbonel,  and  the 
Indian  who  had  promised  to  show  the  grave  of  Fr.  Juan  de 
Jesus.  The  Jemes  Indians  had  already  promised  obedience 
and  submission.  They  unburied  the  remains,  and  the  orna- 
ments and  other  things  were  dehvered  to  them;  they  brought 
the  rernains  of  said  father  to  Santa  Fe  where  burial  was 
given  to  them  in  the  church  of  the  Spaniards  on  the  11th  of 
said  month.  In  the  month  of  September  De  Vargas  re- 
turned with  100  soldiers  and  150  friendly  Indians  from  the 
Pueblos  Queres,  Jemes,  and  Pecos  and  attacked  the  Teguas 
on  the  Mesa  of  San  Ildenfonso,  The  battle  was  quite 
obstinate,  but  the  Teguas  were  finally  compelled  to  sur- 
render. De  Vargas  promised  not  to  execute  those  who  had 
been  captured,  and  to  allow  the  vanquished  Indians  to  bury 
their  dead,  at  the  pueblo,  under  the  condition  that  they 
should  submit  to  his  authority  and  reoccupy  the  pueblo. 
This  they  promised  and  promptly  complied.  On  the  8th  of 
the  month  of  September  the  Taos  Indians  surrendered  to 
Captain  Don  Diego  and  were  allowed  to  return  to  their 
pueblo  after  having  sworn  submission  and  obedience.  In 
October  De  Vargas  made  a  trip  to  San  Juan  and  Picuris;  he 
engaged  the  Indians  of  these  pueblos  at  San  Juan,  where 
they  had  gathered,  capturing  84  of  them  and  some  women 
and  children,  and  made  them  all  submit  to  his  authority. 
In  the  same  manner  those  of  Cuyamunge,  Pojoaque,  Namb^, 
and  Santa  Clara  were  made  to  render  obedience,  so  that 
with  the  surrender  of  Jemes  and  the  pueblos  of  the  north, 
the  province  was  deemed  pacified,  whereupon  steps  were 
taken  leading  to  the  resettling  of  Santa  Cruz  and  other 
points  previously  peopled  by  the  colonists  of  Oilate. 

Assignment   of  Priests   to   the  Pueblos — Founding  and  Resettling    of 
Santa  Cruz  and  Other  Points. 

De  Vargas  and  Father  Juan  Munoz  de  Castro,  who  acted 
as  Custodio,  being  now  satisfied  that  the  lives  of  the  priests 
were  no  longer  in  danger  in  the  pueblos,  and  having  first 
obtained  the  promise  from  all  the  Indian  Governors  that 
they  would  never  again  rebel,  De  Vargas  and  said  Custodio 
undertook  the  assignment  of  priests.  To  Fr.  Corvera  were 
assigned  the  pueblos  of  San  Ildefonso  and  Jacona,  with  his 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY     OF    NEW    MEXICO.  315- 

residence  at  the  tirstone;  to  Fr,  Jerunimo  Prieto,  those  of 
San  Juan  and  Santa  Clara;  and  those  of  San  Lorenzo  and  San 
Crist6bal,  to  P'r.  Antonio  Obreg6n.  From  San  Cristobal 
De  Vargas  returned  to  Santa  F6,  going  from  there  to  the 
other  pueblos,  and  leaving  a  priest  for  every  two  pueblos. 
Having  made  the  assignation  of  the  priests,  De  Vargas 
turned  his  attention  to  the  establishment  of  the  colonies. 

Re-Founding  of  Santa  Cruz     1695. 

The  first  point  repeopled  was  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada,, 
which  was  one  of  those  that  had  been  settled  by  the  colonists 
of  Onate.  The  families  w^hich  had  come  in  June,  1694,  with 
Fr.  Farfdn,  supra,  were  assigned  to  that  place.  De  Vargas 
accompanied  the  colonists,  leaving  with  them  Fr.  Antonio 
Morena  for  the  administration  of  their  spiritual  wants. 
After  the  repeopling  of  Santa  Cruz,  other  families  were  sent 
to  other  points  which  had  been  previously  occupied  by  the 
colonists  of  Oiiate.  De  Vargas,  after  this,  commenced  to 
prepare  a  detailed  report  to  the  Viceroy  of  all  he  had  done^ 
which  report  he  forwarded  to  the  Viceroy  on  the  24th  of 
November,  1695.  At  the  same  time,  he  asked  to  be 
re-appointed  Governor  and  Captain  General,  for  his  first 
appointment  was  about  to  expire  in  the  coming  year,  1696. 

Another  Uprising-  Death  of  Seven  Priests  and  Twenty  Soldiers — 1696. 

The  colonists  being  now  distributed,  as  aforesaid,  the  pue- 
blos of  Santo  Domingo,  Cochiti,  Tanos,  Teguas,  Taos,  Piciiris 
and  Queres,  (which  had  been  friends  before)  thought  that  no 
occasion  so  propitious  could  again  present  itself  for  the  com- 
plete annihilation  of  the  Spaniards.  They  agreed,  and  pre- 
pared, in  secret,  a  rebellion  which  broke  out  on  the  4th  of 
June,  1696,  dealing  death  in  the  most  brutal  and  cowardly 
manner  to  the  priests,  and  burning  the  churches  and  con- 
vents. On  this  occasion,  however,  they  could  not  succeed. 
De  Vargas  lost  no  time  in  administering  to  them  condign 
punishment,  although  he  lost  twenty  soldiers.  That  was, 
for  a  long  time  afterwards,  the  last  attempt  of  the  Indians. 
A  more  serious  struggle  than  the  ones  he  used  to  have  with 
the  Indians  was  being  initiated  against  De  Vargas  by  the 


316  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

officers  of  his  own  council,  who  were  already  beginning  to 
murmur  against  him,  blaming  him  for  all  the  misfortunes 
and  sufferings  which  had  befallen  the  colony. 

Gubero  Made  Governor — Gharges  Against  De Vargas — His  Trial  and 
Vindication. 

Before  the  report  and  petition  of  DeVargas  reached  the 
King,  Don  Pedro  Rodriguez  deCubero  had  been  appointedGov- 
ernor  aad  Captain  General  of  New  Mexico.  Cubero  came  and 
assumed  the  Governorship  of  New  Mexico  on  the  2nd  of  July, 
1696.  In  the  interim  the  difficulties  between  DeVargas  and 
his  council  were  growing  more  and  more  acute,  until  finally 
charges  were  formulated  against  DeVargas  and  presented 
to  governor  Cubero.  Cubero  treated  DeVargas  with  more 
cruelty  than  that  deserved  by  a  depraved  criminal;  he 
imposed  upon  him  a  fine  of  $4,000,  imprisoned  him,  and  held 
him  incomunicado  for  nearly  three  years.  Father  DeVargas 
who  was  on  the  occasion,  Custodio,  and  a  remote  relative  of 
DeVargas  made  a  trip  to  Mexico  and  obtained  under  caution 
(bail)  the  liberty  of  De  Vargas.  De  Vargas  though  refused  to 
accept  his  liberty  under  such  terms,  and  insisted  on  going 
to  Mexico  to  defend  himself  from  his  enemies,  a  thing 
he  obtained,  after  many  sufferings,  leaving  for  Mexico 
in  July,  1700.  In  Mexico  he  not  only  refuted  the  charges  of 
his  enemies  by  proving  his  innocence  with  the  clearest  evi- 
dence, but  after  being  exonerated,  captured  the  sympathies 
of  the  audiencia,  which,  by  unanimous  vote,  asked  his  re-ap- 
pointment as  Governor  and  Captain  General  of  New  Mexico. 
The  members  of  the  council  at  Santa  Pe  when  they  heard 
of  the  result  of  the  trial  retracted  what  they  had  said  against 
DeVargas,  blaming  Governor  Cubero  for  it.  DeVargas  did 
not  abandon  his  efforts  to  be  re-appointed,  successor  of 
Cubero  when  Cubero's  term  closed.  We  will  now  leave 
Cubero  acting  as  governor,  without  giving  the  reader,  for  the 
time  being  any  account  of  his  administration  which  is  done 
in  another  part  hereof.  Here  ends  the  third  book.  In  the 
book  following  which  is  the  fourth  and  last  of  this  work,  we 
shall  treat  of  all  the  events  of  historical  importance  from  the 
years  1697  to  the  present  1912. 


BOOK  IV. 

CONTAINING  ALL  THE  EVENTS  FROM  1700  TO  1912  WITH 
SEVERAL  APPENDIXES  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKET- 
CHES OF  PROMINENT  PERSONS  IN  THE  HISTORY  OF 
NEW  MEXICO  WITH  ENGRAVINGS,  AND  MENTIONING 
OTHER  IMPORTANT  THINGS- 
CHAPTER  L 

Administration  of  Don  Pedro  Rodriguez  de  Cubero — Arrival  of  De- 
Vargas —  His  Administration  Lasted  a  Short  Time — Dies  Four 
Weeks  After  His  Arrival — Francisco  Cuervo  y  Valdez— Founda- 
tion of  Albuquerque  —  Chacon  Succeeds  Valdez — Governor  Chacon 
and  His  Administration  Governor  Mogollon  and  His  Adminis- 
tration—  Don  Felix  Martinez  and  His  Administration — Epoch  of 
Governor  Antonio  Velarde  y  Gosio — Public  Schools  are  Established 
—  Government  of  Bustamante — Trade  With  the  French — French 
Colony — First  Visit  of  a  Bishop  —  Jesuit  Fathers  —  Accusation 
Against  Bustamante — Incumbency  of  Governors  Mendoza,  Don 
Manuel  Portillo  Urrizola — Godallos  y  Rabal — Capuchin — Martin 
del  Valle — Antonio  de  Mendoza — Don  Tomas  Vellez  Capuchin — 
Don  Manuel  Portillo  Urrizola — Tomas  Vellez  Capuchin. 

1697-1769- 


As  it  is  indicated  in  the  title  of  this  4th  book,  that  with  it 
the  history,  which  we  have  been  writing  concerning  the 
events  which  form  our  history,  will  be  closed  we  shall 
proceed  with  the  narrative  that  starts  this  book,  that  is,  with 
the  more  striking  events  and  incidents  which  occurred 
during  the  incumbency  of  Don  Pedro  Rodriguez  de  Cubero, 
successor  to  DeVargas,  and  of  the  other  Governors  until  the 
year  1912. 

Administration  of  Don  Pedro  Rodriguez  de  Cubero. 

Don  Pedro  Rodriguez  de  Cubero  assumed  the  charge  of 
government  of  the  province  of  New  Mexico  in  the  year  1697,. 


318  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

remaining  in  office  until  1704,  when  De  Vargas  returned 
to  succeed  him.  One  of  the  first  things  he  did  was  to 
take  a  census  of  the  number  of  Spanish  inhabitants  in  the 
province,  Santa  Fe  being  then,  practically^  the  province,  the 
result  being  a  population  of  1,500  souls.  There  was  that  year, 
and  had  been  the  year  before,  a  scarcity  of  crops  causing 
among  the  people  unaccountable  sufferings.  The  continual 
incursions  of  the  hostile  Indians  made  the  life  of  the  colonists 
quite  sorrowful;  yet,  there  were  not  wanting  speculators,  who 
gobled  up  all  the  corn  they  could  find  among  the  friendly 
pueblos  with  the  object  of  exporting  it  to  Chihuahua  and 
Durango  instead  of  distributing  it  among  the  Spaniards,  who 
were  already  perishing  from  hunger,  on  which  account, 
Cubero  had  to  resort  to  drastic  measures  and  take  by  force 
all  the  corn  the  speculators  had  garnered,  issuing,  at  the 
same  time  a  decree  whereby  it  was  absolutely  forbidden  to 
buy  and  export  grain  without  the  consent  of  the  governor.* 

The  Tanos  Again  Occupy  their  Pueblo  to  Which  Cubero  Gives  the  Name 
of  "Galisteo,"  1697 — French  Expedition,  1698 — Cubero  Design- 
ates the  Pueblo  of  Los  Queres  by  the  Name  of  San  Jose  de  la 
Laguna,  1699. 

The  hostile  pueblos,  who  had  given  De  Vargas  so  much 
trouble,  continued  unceasingly  to  give  trouble  to  the  Span- 
iards; but  Cu hero's  efforts  to  pacify  them  were  productive  of 
better  success.  Thus  it  was  that  before  the  end  of  the  year 
he  had  been  able  to  subdue  some  of  those  pueblos  to  his 
authority,  succeeded  in  getting  the  Tanos  to  abandon  the 
Pueblo  of  San  Ildefonso,  and  to  resettle  their  own  at  "Galis- 
teo,"  Cubero  giving  it  that  name.  He  also  got  the  Queres, 
together  with    those  of    Cieneguilla,   Santo    Domingo  and 

*  As  the  information  in  this  and  subsequent  chapters  is  based  on 
authentic  documents  which  the  author  found  in  the  archives  at  Santa  Fe. 
vears  ago.  and  in  the  office  of  the  Surveyor  General  of  New  Mexico, 
from  of  all  which  he  made  copies,  the  i-eader  is  informed  that  in  order 
to  avoid  the  repetition  of  the  same  authority  at  the  foot  of  each  histo- 
rical event,  whenever  no  reference  is  made  to  any  other  authority,  it 
must  be  understood  that  what  is  here  narrated,  if  it  gives  no  reference 
to  any  other  source,  from  whence  the  account  may  flow,  has  been  drawn 
from  the  letters  and  documents  to  which  the  author  alludes.— The 
Author. 


ILLUSTRATED   inSTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  319 

Oochiti  to  consolidate  in  a  single  pueblo  twelve  miles  from 
Acoma,  on  the  river  which  the  Indians  themselves  called 
*'Cubero''  in  honor  of  General  Cubero.  The  said  Indians  did 
not  remain  long  in  that  pueblo;  the  Queres  alone  remained, 
the  others  retiring  to  their  old  pueblos.  Between  the  years 
169!!<  and  1(599  nothing  important  happened,  excepting  the 
information  that  an  expedition  composed  of  French  from 
Louisiana  had  invaded  the  land  of  the  Navajoes  in  pursuit  of 
a  party  of  said  Indians  who  had  stolen  from  them  some  horses 
and  kidnapped  some  boys  and  girls,  and  that,  penetrating  to 
the  center  of  the  encampment,  had  had  a  great  battle  with 
them  in  which  4,000  (?)  Navajoes  had  perished.  That  was  in  the 
year  1698.  The  next  year  Cubero  made  an  inspection  trip  to 
the  western  part  of  the  province  tending  the  Queres  settled  in 
a  new  pueblo  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  one  they  had  two 
years  before  constructed.  They  received  him  with  tender- 
ness by  giving  him  proofs  of  the  sincerity  of  their  surrender, 
asking  him  to  designate  the  new  pueblo  by  the  name  of  a 
saint,  a  thing  Cubero  gladly  did  giving  the  pueblo  the  name 
of  San  Jose  de  La  Laguna,  a  name  which  that  pueblo  bears  up 
to  this  date.  From  there  Cubero  followed,  visiting  the  pro- 
vinces of  Acoma  and  Zuiii,  and  receiving  at  each  pueblo  of 
said  provinces  the  obedience  and  submission  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. There  only  remained  the  Moqui  pueblos  on  the  western 
part  of  the  province  which  ref  ased  to  submit  to  his  authority, 
but  they  did  it  the  next  year.  From  the  year  1700  to  1704 
there  were  no  events  of  extraordinary  importance.  At  the 
the  beginning  of  1700  a  party  of  Apaches  visited  Cubero 
carrying  with  them  two  French  girls  which  they  said  they 
had  purchased  from  the  Navajoes;  they  delivered  the 
girls  saying  that  another  French  expedition  of  Frenchmen 
had  attacked  the  Jumana  nation  in  the  plains,  and  had 
destroyed  their  pueblos.*  In  1701,  through  the  agency  of 
Father  Antonio  Guerra,  the  Indians  of  Santa  Clara  were 
transferred  to  the  Pueblo  of  San  Ildefonso,  and  the  incum- 
bency of  Cubero  ended  in  another  incident:  towards  the 
close  of  1703  the  Zunis  again  revolted,  and  had  a  difficulty 
with  the  Father  and  the  escort  of  soldiers  stationed  in  that 

*  Bancroft  "New  Mexico  and  Arizona,"  p.  '2-22. 


320  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

pueblo.  It  was  not,  however,  a  general  uprising  but  rather 
a  dispute  between  seven  Indians  and  some  soldiers,  the  out- 
come of  which  was  the  death  of  the  seven  Indians,  and  on  the 
side  of  the  Spaniards  that  of  the  soldiers  Valdez,  Palomino 
and  Lucero,  and  Corporal  Jiron.  In  order  not  to  endanger 
the  life  of  Father  Garaecoche  who  administered  the  Puebla 
of  Zuni  at  the  time,  Cubero  caused  the  Father  Custodio  to 
recall  him  from  said  pueblo.  As  news  reached  Santa  Fe 
towards  the  close  of  1703  of  the  reappointment  of  De  Vargas 
as  Cubero's  successor,  Cubero  tried  to  flee  from  the  country 
before  De  Vargas  reached  Santa  Fe,  fearing  that  De  Vargas- 
would  take  vengeance  on  him  for  what  he  had  done  with  De 
Vargas  six  years  before.  So  he  did,  in  fact,  so  that  when  De 
Vargas  reached  Santa  Fe  in  November,  1703,  he  found  the 
government  in  the  hands  of  an  officer  of  the  council  whose 
name  is  not  given. 

Arrival  of  De  Vargas  — His  Administration  is  of  Short  Duration —Dies 
a  Little  After  his  Arrival — His  last  Will  and  Testament. — His 
Death  and  Burial. 

On  November  the  tenth,  1703,  De  Vargas  arrived  in  Santa 
Fe  coming  again  as  Governor  and  Captain  General  of  the 
province,  and  with  the  new  title  of  "Marquis  of  the  Nava 
of  Brazinas,"  and  immediately  assumed  charge  of  the  gov- 
ernment, causing  the  council  officers  who  had  before  made 
charges  against  him  to  come  before  him  and  give  him  the 
satisfaction  which  his  rank  and  high  authority  required. 
The  councilors  did  not  hesitate  in  making  adequate  apology 
blaming  Cubero  for  all.  In  April  of  the  next  year,  170-1,  De 
Vargas  set  out  on  an  inspection  trip  towards  the  South,  but 
was  taken  ill  near  the  Sierra  of  Sandia  and  was  carried  to 
Bernalillo  where  he  expired  on  the  14th  of  that  month.  Here 
the  author  wishes  to  make  a  remark  to  the  reader,  and  that 
is:  That  almost  all  historians  with  the  exception  of  Bancroft, 
Pino,  and  Salpointe  declare  that  between  1703  and  170-4  the 
Dukeof  Alburquerque  was  governor  of  New  Mexico.  The 
assertion  is  a  gross  error,  the  duke  of  Alburquerque  was 
never  governor  of  New  Mexico,  but,  certainly.  Viceroy  of 
Mexico. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  321 

Last  Will  and  Testament  of  De  Vargas. 

(Taken  from  tb.e  Archives  of  New  Mexico,  No.  187)  De 
Vargas  was  born  in  Madrid.  At  tlie  time  of  his  death  De 
Vargas  had  no  family  except  two  sons  called  Don  Juan  and 
Don  Alonzo  both  minors,  and  a  negro  slave,  called  Andres, 
who  was  in  the  service  of  De  Vargas  from  1691  to  the  day  of 
his  death.  In  his  testament  these  two  sons  and  the  slave 
are  the  only  ones  he  mentions  as  his  heirs.  He  commands 
in  his  testament  that  after  his  death  the  slave  Andres  shall 
take  his  said  sons  to  Mexico  and  that  he  must  remain  with 
them;  he  gives  the  slave  his  liberty  if  he  complies  with  the 
recommendation  and  leaves  him  a  horse  mounting  outfit, 
two  mules,  an  arquebus  and  several  articles  of  raiment.  He 
commands  that  mass  be  said  for  the  repose  of  his  soul  at 
Bernalillo;  that  his  remains  be  transferred  to  Santa  Fe  and 
buried  under  the  principal  altar  in  the  church  of  Santa  F6. 
He  designates,  appoints,  and  declares  Ga}>tain  Juan  Paiz 
Hurtado  to  assume  the  command  and  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  province,  as  his  successor,  and  orders  that 
immediately  after  his  death,  he,  the  said  Hurtado,  give 
advice  to  the  Viceroy,  the  Duke  of  Alburquerque  of  his 
death  for  governmental  purposes.  De  Vargas  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Don  Francisco  Cuervo  y  Valdez  in  1705,  Juan  Paiz 
Hurtado  governing  in  the  interregnum  until  the  coming  of 
Valdez,  in  1705.  Juan  Paiz  Hurtado  had  been  Lieutenant 
General  under  De  Vargas. 


rancisco  ouervo  y 


Valde 


On  the  10th  of  March,  1705,  Governor  Francisco  Cuervoy 
Valdez  arrived  in  Santa  Fe,  and  immediately  assumed  the 
reins  of  government  acting  as  governor  until  July  31st, 
1707.  During  his  first  year  as  governor  nothing  important 
happened  except  the  submission  of  the  province  of  Moquina 
which  for  so  many  years  had  resisted  the  Spaniards,  and  the 
renewal  of  friendly  relations  with  the  Zufiis,  results  both  due 
to  the  effort  of  Father  Garaecoeche  who  again  established 
himself  that  year  at  ZuQi.  That  year  also  by  reason  of  the 
prolonged  drought,  the  crops  were  lost,  the  families  and  the 
army   being  exposed   to  great  famine  on  account  of  the  lack 


322  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  eatables  to  subsist  upon,  a  circumstance  which  compelled 
the  governor  to  ask  help  from  the  authorities  at  El  Paso,  but 
did  not  obtain  anything.  The  Apaches,  on  account  of 
unknown  causes,  pounced  upon  the  governor  that  year, 
attacking  him  and  his  troops  on  one  of  his  general  inspection 
trips. 

Founding  of  Alburquerque — Chacon  Succeeds  Valdez. 

In  the  year  1706,  Governor  Cuervo  took  thirty  families  to 
the  place  we  know  today  by  the  name  of  Albuquerque,*  and 
founded  the  Villa  of  Alburquerque  giving  it  that  name  in 
honor  of  the  Duke  of  Alburquerque  who  was  at  the  time 
Viceroy  of  Mexico.  Said  Duke  never  visited  New  Mexico, 
as  other  historians  assure  us.  Cuervo  reported  to  the  Vice- 
roy the  same  year  the  founding  of  said  villa,  but  the  Vice- 
roy did  not  welcome  the  report  of  Cuervo;  he  censured  him 
and  ordered  him  to  change  the  name  of  said  Villa  to  that  of 
San  Felipe  de  Alburquerque,  in  honor  of  the  soverign  then 
ruling  over  the  Spains.  In  August,  1707,  the  incumbency  of 
Governor  Cuervo  ended,  being  succeeded  on  the  first  day  of 
that  month  and  year  by  Admiral  Don  Jose  Chacon  Medina 
Salazar  y  Villasenor,  Marquez  of  La  Peiluela,  who  governed 
until  1712. 

Governor  Chacon  and  his  Covernment — Resettlement  of  Isleta. 

Don  Jose  Chacon  Medina  Salazar  y  Villasenor,  Marquez  of 
La  Penuela,  is  not  known  in  history,  in  general,  but  by  the 
name  of  Chacon  so  that  under  that  name  we  shall  refer  to 
him;  and  in  order  not  to  confound  him  with  the  other  Gov- 
ernor Chacon,  who  governed  New  Mexico  from  17H9  to  1805, 
(post)  we  shall  call  the  second  Chacon  by  his  full  name,  to- 
wit:  Don  Fernando  Chacon.  On  the  arrival  of  Governor  Cha- 
con to  New  Mexico,  the  Moquis  and  Zufiis  were  again  dis- 
gusted and  at  the  point  of  declaring  war  on  the  Spaniards. 
The  governor  sent  immediately  as  emissaries  of  peace  some 
•of  the  principal  Indians  of  the  friendly  pueblos  to  said  pro- 
vinces of  Moqui  and  Zuni,  but  his  emissaries  were  dispatched 

*The  word  "Alburquerque"  is  the  correct  word,  and  not  Albu- 
<iuerque  as  it  is  seen  in  g-eog-raphies  and  books  of  History.— The 
Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO  323 

back  by  the  said  Moquis  and  Zuilis  without  being  permitted 
to  explain  the  object  of  their  visit.  The  hostihty,  however, 
of  the  said  Moquis  and  Zuilis  resulted  in  notliing  more  than 
a  complete  indifference  and  rupture  of  friendly  relations 
with  the  Spaniards.  The  nation  of  the  Navajoe  Indians, 
which,  from  the  tirst  year  of  the  conquest,  had  caused  the 
Spaniards  so  many  grave  damages,  declared  open  war  on 
the  Spaniards  during  the  incumbency  of  Chacon.  Chacon 
towards  the  end  of  1708,  was  engaged  in  repairing  the  Chapel 
of  San  Miguel,  of  which  we  have  already  spoken,  when  he 
received  trustworthy  information  to  the  effect  that  a  great 
party  of  Navajoes  had  stolen  a  great  number  of  sheep  stock, 
and  killed  many  of  the  Indians  of  the  friendly  pueblos  of 
Jemes  and  Cias.  As  soon  as  the  repairing  of  said  chapel  was 
finished  (in  one  of  the  joists  which  support  the  choir  of  said 
chapel  the  inscription  is  seen  which  said  Marquez  of  Penuela 
caused  to  be  engraved  in  said  joist  evidencing  said  rebuild- 
ing) Chacon  undertook,  in  1709,  a  campaign  against  the  Nava- 
joes, himself  going  at  the  head  of  the  troop,  and  a  great 
number  of  citizens  who  voluntarily  followed  him.  They  met 
the  Navajoes,  after  a  few  journe3^s  from  the  Capital,  en- 
gaging them  in  a  most  obstinate  battle  from  which  the  Span- 
iards came  out  victorious,  reducing  the  Navajoes  to  com. 
plete  obedience,  and  compelling  them  to  sign  a  treaty  of 
peace  and  to  restore  the  animals  they  had  stolen.  The  same 
year  Fr.  Juan  de  la  Peila  was  at  the  head  of  the  Franciscans 
in  New  Mexico.  By  his  religious  zeal  he  had  gained  the 
tender  regard  of  the  Indians  of  the  province,  and  was  more 
successful  in  the  repeopling  of  deserted  pueblos  by  fugitive 
Indians  than  the  military  authorities  had  been.  He  assem- 
bled with  their  families  all  the  wandering  Indians,  congre- 
gated  them  at  the  Pueblo  of  Isleta,  forming,  thus,  out  of  that 
deserted  pueblo  a  new  community  which  has  become  one  of 
the  few  Indian  communities  which  live  today  in  the  identical 
place,  where  the  priests  located  them.  Governor  Chacon 
did  not  look  with  the  complacency  on  the  good  results  which 
Fr.  de  la  Peiia  was  achieving  with  his  missions,  on  which 
account,  a  difficulty  arose  between  him  and  Father  Pefia,  a 
difficulty  w'hich  ended  in  an  accusation  Father  Pena  brought 
against  Chacon  before  the  Viceroy,  charging  him  with  despot- 


324  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ism  and  cruelty  against  the  Indians,  charges  which,  upon 
due  investigation,  were  confirmed  by  Father  Peiia,  and  by 
reason  of  which,  Governor  Chacon  was  censured  and  obliged 
to  pay  a  tine  of  $2,000.  Father  Juan  de  la  Pena  died  in  the 
same  year,  his  successor  being  Fr.  Lopez  de  Haro,  ad  interim, 
Fr.  Juan  de  Tagle  becoming  subsequently  the  dejure  succes- 
sor. Thus  ended  the  administration  of  Governor  Jose  Cha- 
con Medina  Salazar  y  Villasenor,  Marquez  of  La  Penuela,  in 
the  year  1712,  a  year  in  which  Don  Juan  Ignacio  Flores  Mo- 
goUon  came  in  as  governor  and  governed  to  the  year  1715. 

Governor  Mogollon  and  His  Administration — Battle  With  the  Yutas. 

Don  Juan  Ignacio  Flores  Mogollon  commenced  to  govern 
on  the  5th  day  of  October,  1712;  during  his  incumbency 
almost  all  the  nomadic  tribes  declared  themselves  at  war 
against  the  Spaniards  and  against  the  Pueblo  Indians.  The 
Yuta  nation  showed  itself  the  most  warlike  and  dangerous, 
and  against  it  were  the  forces,  which  Mogollon  could  assem- 
ble, concentrated,  and,  going  out  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
campaign,  engaged  that  nation  in  a  decisive  battle,  com- 
pletely subduing  them.     That  happened  in  the  year  1713. 

Founding  of  San  Lorenzo—  Death  of  Father  Delgado. 

The  next  year  Mogollon  established  a  settlement  of  Spanish 
colonists  at  a  place  near  Las  Cruces,  today  the  County  of 
Dona  Ana,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  "San  Lorenzo." 
That  same  year  the  Indians  of  Acoma  assassinated  Father 
Carlos  Delgado;  the  Navajoes  again  revolted,  but  were  put 
down  by  Captain  Serna  who,  with  four  hundred  soldiers 
caused  great  slaughter  of  Indians.  The  next  year,  after  a 
long  conference  between  the  colonists  and  the  religious, 
Mogollon  gave  orders  for  the  disarming  of  all  the  Indians  of 
the  pueblos,  which  order  the  religious  opposed  very  empha- 
tically contending  that  the  Indians  should  be  left  with  the 
neccessary  arms  for  defending  themselves  from  the  con- 
tinual invasions  of  the  Yutas,  Navajoes  and  Comanches. 
The  superior  authorities  sustained  the  opinion  of  the  Fathers 
for  which  reason  Mogollon  resigned,  being  succeeded  on  the 
30th  of  October,  1715,  by  Governor  Don  FeHx  Martinez. 


ILLUSTRATKl)    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  325 

Don  Felix  Martinez — His  Administration. 

Besides  being  disgusted  at  the  decision  given  by  the  Vice- 
roy against  him,  Governor  Mogollon  had  another  and  more 
powerful  reason  for  resigning  tlie  office  of  governor.  It  was 
that  his  age  no  longer  left  him  strength  enough  to  attend 
properly  to  the  weighty  tasks  of  the  Government.  Don  Felix 
Martinez,  from  what  one  can  infer  from  his  actions  as  an 
official,  must  have  been  a  man  of  arrogant,  wayward,  and 
wn-angling  character,  for  hardly  had  he  began  to  govern,  when 
without  any  legitimate  cause  that  can  be  thought  of  or  known, 
he  arrested,  and  threw  into  prison.  Governor  Mogollon.  It 
is  probable  that  on  account  of  Martinez  not  being  of  the 
same  class  of  decent  as  Mogollon,  for  Mogollon,  was  a  native 
of  Seville  and  of  noble  lineage,  while  Martinez  had  been 
a  simple  soldier  of  De  Vargas,  who  to  reward  the  good  services 
he  had  rendered  as  a  soldier,  obtained  for  him  from  the  King, 
his  appointment  as  perpetual  mayor  of  the  Villa  of  Santa  F6; 
it  is,  probable,  then,  that  through  mere  vanity  he  considered 
himself  superior  to  Mogollon.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  conduct 
of  Martinez  reached  the  ears  of  the  Viceroy,  the  Marques 
of  Valero,  who  ordered  him  to  present  himself  in  Mexico 
without  delay  sending  as  an  ad  interim  Governor,  Captain 
Antonio  Velarde  y  Cosio  who,  at  the  time,  was  at  El  Paso. 
Before  the  arrival  of  Cosio  at  Santa  F6,  Martinez  was  aware 
of  nothing  of  what  was  going  on,  so  that  leaving  Mogollon  in 
jail  at  Santa  Pe  he  started  on  a  campaign  against  the  Moqui 
Indians,  who  had  the  aid  of  the  Tanos,  with  whom  he  had  two 
great  battles,  coming  out  victorious  from  both,  but  without 
subduing  the  Indians.  While  Martinez  was  waging  war 
against  the  Moquis,  the  Yutas  attacked  the  Indians  of  Taos, 
the  Teguas,  and  the  Spaniards.  Captain  Serna  rushed  out 
to  the  aid  of  the  Taos,  and  of  the  other  Indians  and  Spaniards. 
Overtaking  the  Yutas  at  the  Cerro  of  San  Antonio,  near 
Conejos,  he  engaged  them  causing  them  terrible  slaughter 
and  imprisoning  many  of  them.  Then  it  was  that  the  order 
of  the  Viceroy  arrived  and  Martinez  left  for  Mexico,  but 
before  leaving  he  refused  to  deliver  the  government  of  the 
province  to  Governor  Cosio,  appointing  Juan  Paiz  Hurtado 


326  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

as  Governor  ad  interim,  and  starting  on  the  20th  of  January 
to  Mexico,  taking  Mogollon  along  with  him,  and  attempting 
at  the  same  time  to  take  Cosio  with  him  also,  but  Cosio 
refused  to  obey  him  sending  a  report  to  Mexico,  concerning 
the  insubordination  of  Martinez.  Hurtado  continued  acting 
as  governor  until  the  month  of  December  when  a  peremptory 
order  reached  him  to  deliver  the  government  to  Velarde  y 
Cosio  which  he  did  in  December  of  the  same  year,  the  date  in 
which  Velarde  assumed  the  government  acting  as  governor 
till  the  beginning  of  the  year  1721. 

Epoch  of  Governor  Antonio  Velarde  y  Cosio — Order  for  Establishment 
of  Garrison  at  Guartelejo. 

As  soon  as  he  assumed  charge  of  the  government,  Velarde 
undertook  an  active  campaign  against  the  Yutas  and 
Comanches,  carrying  with  him  one  hundred  and  five  soldiers 
and  many  friendly  Indians,  and  traversing  what  is  today  the 
State  of  Colorado  and  part  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  but  he 
could  not  overtake  them,  meeting  only  some  of  them  who  had 
been  wounded  in  an  encounter  they  had  with  the  French. 
From  there  Velarde  returned  to  New  Mexico  finding  on  his 
arrival  an  order  directing  him  to  establish  a  garrison  in  the 
place  called  "Cuartelejo"'  on  the  Napeste  (Arkansas)  river, 
an  order  wiiich  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  comply  with 
owing  to  his  lack  of  means  and  troops. 

First  Public  Schools  are  Established. 

In  August  of  that  year  (1721)  the  Father  Custdio  summoned 
a  meeting  of  all  the  priests  at  Santa  F6  in  order  to  treat  about 
putting  into  practice  the  command  of  the  King,  which  had 
just  arrived  from  Mexico  ordering  them  to  establish  public 
schools  in  all  the  pueblos  as  well  as  in  the  Spanish  settle- 
ments. The  result  of  the  meeting  was  the  establishment  of 
schools  in  many  pueblos,  and  in  all  the  Spanish  settlements, 
it  being  determined  also  that  in  each  pueblo  and  colony  the 
Indians  and  colonists  should  cultivate  a  milpa  (corn  field)  for 
the    benefit    of    the    teacher.     *No    other    important  thing 

*The  authority  for  the  establishment  of  these  schools  in  New 
Mexico,  the  author  has  not  found  either  in  tlie  archives  nor  in  any 
history  except  in  the  work  "The  Soldiers  of  the  Cross,'"  of  Archbishop 


ILLUSTRATED    IlLSTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  327 

occurred  during  the  incumbency  of  Velarde,  his  administra- 
tion ending  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1721,  the  year  in 
which  Don  Juan  Estrado  y  Austria  arrived  as  Judge  of  the 
Audiencia  to  investigate  the  differences  between  Martinez  and 
Mogollon  and  with  authority  to  act  as  governor,  while 
Velarde's  successor  Don  Juan  Domingo  de  Bustamante, 
who  reached  Santa  Fo  March  2nd,  1722  and  governed  to  the 
year  1731,  arrived. 

Adminislralion  of  Bustamante  — Trade  With  the  French— French  Col- 
ony First  Visit  of  a  Bishop — Jesuit  Fathers — Accusation  Against 
Bustamante. 

When  Bustamante  assumed  the  duties  of  his  administra- 
tion (1722  supra)  an  illicit  traffic  had  already  been  established 
between  the  Spaniards  and  the  French,  a  traffic  which  had 
to  be  forbidden  by  the  Spanish  authorities,  because  under 
the  pretext  of  the  traffic,  which  was  being  carried  on  by 
smuggling,  and  which  amounted  to  $12,000  a  year,  the  French 
were  intruding  into  Spanish  territory,  their  arrogance  over- 
reaching itself  so  far  as  to  establish  in  1721  a  temporary  col- 
ony at  Cuartelejo,  on  the  Napeste  (Arkansas)  river,  which 
they  abandoned  shortly  after  they  had  established  it. 

Bishop  Grespo  Visits  New  Mexico. 

Bishop  Benedict©  Crespo  visited  New  Mexico  for  the  first 
time  in  the  year  1722,  having  come  to  administer  confirma- 
tion and  to  inform  himself  of  the  precise  condition  of  things 
in  New  Mexico,  and  the  better  to  fix  his  claim  as  Bishop  of 
Durango,  for,  as  such,  he  claimed  authority  over  New 
Mexico. 

The  Jesuits  Return  to  New  Mexico — Gruzat  Succeeds  Bustamante — 
Michalena  Succeeds  Gruzat — Bishop  Elizacoechea's  Visit. 

During  the  years  1730  and  1731,  the  Moqui  province  was 
again  visited  by  Jesuit  missionaries,  this  being  the  second 
time  those  fathers  appeared  in  New  Mexico,  for  they  had 
already  made,  as  we  have  said,  a  prior  visit  to  the  provinces 

Salpointe,  pa^e  !»(),  he  basing-  his  authority  in  the  ecclesiastical 
archives  which  are  worthy  to  be  considered  as  the  highest  authority 
in  the  matter.— The  Author. 


328  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  Moqui  and  ZuCi.  The  said  missionary  priests  were 
named  Francisco  Archundi  and  Jose  Narvaez.  They  were 
well  received,  as  had  been  their  companions  before,  and  they 
were  able  to  administer  the  Moqui  Indians  with  marked 
success,  but  as  the  Franciscans  opposed  the  preaching  of 
the  Jesuits  in  territory  that  belonged  to  them,  the  Jesuits 
had  again  to  abandon  the  territory.  In  that  same  year  Gov- 
ernor Bustamante  was  accused  of  being  himself  the  man 
who  was  promoting  the  illicit  trade  with  the  French,  a  cen- 
sure against  him  resulting  from  the  accusation.  His  admin- 
istration ended  on  that  year,  and  to  succeed  him  Don 
Gervasio  Cruzat  Gongora  was  appointed.  Gongora  assumed 
the  same  year  the  charge  of  the  government,  and  governed 
until  the  year  1736.  During  the  administration  of  Cruzat 
nothing  of  any  importance  happened,  save  an  order  he  issued 
instructing  the  alcaldes  (justices  of  the  peace)  to  interpose 
their  legal  authority  for  the  suppression  of  the  vices  of 
immorality,  gambling  and  vagrancy.  Let  us  pass  now  to 
the  consideration  of  his  successor,  Don  Enrique  de  Olavide 
y  Michalena,  who  governed  from  the  beginning  of  1736  to 
1739.  During  the  government  of  Michalena  history  records 
no  events  worthy  of  mention,  except  the  pastoral  visit,  that 
New  Mexico  received  for  a  second  time,  on  this  occasion 
being  the  Most  Illustrious  Bishop  Elizacoechea,  of  Durango. 

Incumbency  of  Governors  Mendoza,  Don  Manuel  Portillo  Urrizola-  - 
Godallos  y  Ratal — Capuchin,  Martin  del  Valle,  Antonio  de  Men- 
doza y  Capuchin. 

Between  the  years  1739  and  1777,  during  which,  time  the 
governors  named  in  the  headlines  of  this  pai-agraph  governed 
respectively,  there  were  no  historical  incidents  which,  in  any 
manner,  altered  the  monotony  that,  on  account  of  the  frequent 
depredations  of  the  barbarous  Indians,  and  the  uprising  of 
the  rebel  pueblos,  had  come  to  impose  itself  upon  the  spirit 
of  the  colonists,  who  no  longer  interested  themselves  in  the 
material  and  industrial  development  of  the  province,  because 
of  their  being  continually  exposed  to  lose  their  lives  and  prop- 
erty. The  reaction  occasioned  by  the  said  sad  situation  went 
so  far  as  to  completely  paralyze  the  development  of  all  the 
industries,  withthe  exception  of  agriculture  and  stock  raising, 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  329 

these  being  the  only  industries  to  which  the  colonists  could 
dedicate  themselves,  for  the  reason  given.  We  will,  however, 
give  a  short  account  of  what  happened  in  the  epochs  of  said 
governors. 

First  Strangers  to  Visit  New   Mexico,   H43-.    H^i 

Don  Gapar  Domingo  de  Mendoza  governed  till  the  year 
1743,  and  it  was  during  his  administration  that  the  first 
strangers  settled  in  New  Mexico,  at  Taos.  They  were  two 
Frenchmen  called  Jean  d'Alay  and  Luis  Marie,  the  first,  a 
barber  by  profession,  the  second,  a  desperate  criminal.  Alay 
married  a  Spanish  woman  at  Santa  P^,  and  their  descendants 
are  today  known  by  the  surname  of  Alarid.  Marie,  in  obe- 
dience to  his  natural  impulse,  followed  his  criminal  career 
and  tinally  the  gallows  was  his  landing  place.*  According  to 
Father  Mota,  New  Mexico  had  in  1742  a  population,  without 
counting  the  soldiers,  of  9,747  souls,  and  there  were  already 
24  villages  and  villas  inhabited  by  the  Spaniards. 

Codallos  y  Rabat — Third  Visit  of  Jesuit  Fathers  to  New  Mexico — The 
Jesuits  Again. 

Governor  Joaquin  Codallos  y  Rabal  governed  from  the  year 
1743  to  the  year  1749.  In  1745,  the  Jesuit  missionaries  made 
again  a  visit  to  the  province  of  Moqui,  the  missionaries  being, 
on  this  occasion.  Fathers  Delgado,  Irrigoyen  and  Juan  Jose 
Toledo,  who,  with  the  previous  leave  of  the  proper  authority  in 
Mexico, and  accompanied  bySO  friendly  Indians  from  Durango 
visited  all  the  provinces  of  Moqui,  bat  did  not  establish  mis- 
sions because  they  had  no  authority  for  doing  that.  They 
remained  in  the  province  converting  a  great  number  of 
Indians,  and  returned  to  Mexico  in  November  of  that  year  in 
obedience  to  an  order  from  the  Viceroy  ordering  them  to 
suspend  their  apostolic  labors.  In  the  same  year,  1745,  the 
question  broke  out  anew  about  the  boundaries  between  New 
Mexico  and  the  New  Vizcay,  on  account  of  the  jurisdiction 
which  Governor  Codallos  claimed  to  have  over  the  town  of  El 
Paso.  The  boundary  question  between  New  Mexico  and  New 
Vizcay  had  already  been  agitated  before,  in  the  year   1683; 

*  Bancroft.     "New  Mexico,"  i).  243  and  notes. 


330  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

that  year  Viceroy  Manrique  de  la  Cerda  having  declared  by 
decree  that  El  Paso  belonged  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  pro- 
vince of  New  Vizcay,  the  governor  of  Nev^;^  Mexico  being  then 
Don  Domingo  Jiron  Cruzat  Gironza,  and  of  New  Vizcay,  Don 
Bartolome  de  Estrada.  It  is  reasonable  to  believe  that  Gov- 
ernor Codallos  was  not  aware  of  the  royal  decree  of  1683, 
when  he  attempted  to  exercise  jurisdiction  over  El  Paso,  but, 
as  soon  as  he  was  informed  about  it,  he  issued  a  decree  at 
Santa  Fe  on  February  21,  1745,  declaring  the  boundaries  in 
conformity  with  said  decree  of  1683,  the  question  of  bound- 
aries between  the  two  provinces  remaining  then  definitely 
settled. 

Don   Tomas   Vellez    Capuchin — The   Gomanches    Attack    Galisteo — 
Routed  in  Fierce  Battle. 

Capuchin  commenced  to  govern  at  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1749,  and  governed  until  the  year  1754,  without  having  been 
able  during  his  incumbency  to  do  anything  else  but  a  long 
and  energetic  campaign  which  he  made  against  the  Goman- 
ches who  had  attacked  the  pueblo  and  settlements  of  Galisteo 
and  made  a  great  slaughter  among  the  Tano  Indians  and  the 
Spanish  colonists  of  that  neighborhood,  and  carried  away  as 
captives  40  persons,  women  and  children.  Capuchin  at  the 
head  of  164  soldiers  and  about  200  friendly  Indians  went  out 
in  pursuit  of  the  Comanches.  He  overtook  them  at  El  Llano 
Estado  (Staked  Plain)  where  they  gave  him  battle  in  which 
the  Indians  were  routed  with  a  loss  of  101  dead,  145  prisoners 
and  the  captives  they  were  carrying  were  liberated.  That 
same  year  Father  Menchero  was  enabled  to  obtain  the  final 
submission  of  the  Moqui  province,  its  inhabitants,  to  the 
number  of  10,000  demanding  to  be  indoctrinated  by  a  priest 
to  be  permanently  settled  in  their  province. 

Don    Francisco  Antonio    Martin  del  Valle-  New  Mexico   is  Visited   by 
Bishop  Tamardn. 

Martin  del  Valle  governed  from  1754  to  1760,  his  adminis- 
tration commencing  with  measures  that  contravened  the 
established  order  between  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  juris- 
dictions thus  placing  himself  in  enmity  with  the  Fathers,  a 
condition  which  could   but   redound   to  the  detriment  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  381 

good  government  of  the  province,  for  without  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal support  the  Indians  did  not  respect  civil  authority.  The 
tirst  place  where  the  friction  was  felt  was  at  the  province  of 
Moqui,  the  Father  Custudio  had  to  make  a  trip  to  that  pro- 
vince in  (M'der  to  induce  the  Indians  to  submit  to  the  civil 
authority  assuring  them  that  the  dispute  between  the  tvv'o 
jurisdictions  was  to  be  settled  in  Mexico,  and  that,  whatever 
the  result  might  be,  it  behooved  them  to  submit  to  both 
authorities  as  they  had  done  until  that  date.  The  exhorta- 
tion of  the  Father  Custodio  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding, 
the  Cacique  refused  to  permit  Father  Rodriguez  de  la  Torre 
to  continue  preaching  and  living  in  the  pueblo.  The  priests 
then  abandoned  the  province  for  fear  of  being  assassinated. 

Bishop  Tamaron. 

In  July,  1760,  New  Mexico  was  again  visited  by  a  bishop,^ 
this  time  by  the  most  Illustrious  Lord  Bishop  Tamaron,  of 
Durango.  During  his  trip,  Bishop  Tamaron  administered 
the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  to  2,y73  persons  at  El  Paso, 
and  to  11,271  in  New  Mexico.  At  the  end  of  the  year,  Capu- 
chin went  to  Mexico,  and  Don  Mateo  Antonio  de  Mendoza  re- 
mained acting  as  governor  ad  interim  but  governed  for  a  very 
short  period  only. 

Don  Manuel  Portillo  Urrizola — Capuchin  Succeeds  Urrizola — The 
Apaches  Make  an  Assault  on  the  Town  of  Taos,  1761 — Urrizola 
Routs  Them. 

Urrizola  governed  for  a  little  over  a  year.  He  took  charge 
of  the  government  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1761  having 
been  succeeded  at  the  end  of  that  same  year  by  Don  Tomas 
Vell^z  Capuchin  who  came  as  governor  for  a  second  time. 
During  Urrizola's  epoch  the  Apaches  attacked  the  town  of 
Taos  killing  a  great  number  of  inhabitants  and  carrying 
away  as  captives  50  women.  This  was  the  only  occasion 
Urrizola  had  of  covering  himself  with  glory  by  means  of  one 
the  most  brilliant  exploits  in  the  long  series  of  wars  which 
the  government  had  continually  been  sustaining  since  the 
time  it  began  to  exist.  Immediately  upon  the  news  reaching 
Santa  Fe,  in  December,  1761,  Urrizola  left  for  Taos  with  80 
soldiers.      He  overtook  the  Apaches  near  the  River  San  An- 


332  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

tonio  (at  Conejos,)and  taking  them  by  surprise,  he  completely 
annihilated  them,  killing  400  Apaches  and  recovering  the 
50  women  they  had  carried  away,  and  also  a  great  number  of 
horses. 

Tomas   Vellez  Capuchin — El  Rio   de   la   Plata — Captain   Juan  Maria 
Rivera  Discovers  Mines  in  Colorado. 

Tomas  Vellez  Capuchin  again  took  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment in  February,  1762,  and  governed  until  the  year  1767,  the 
year  in  which  he  w^as  succeeded  b}^  Don  Pedro  Fermin  de 
Mendinueta.  During  his  long  incumbency  Capuchin  did  not 
experience  any  trouble  from  the  rebel  Indians,  conse- 
quently he  employed  his  time  in  developing  the  industries 
which,  as  has  been  observed,  were  found  at  an  absolute 
standstill.  He  sent  out  an  exploring  party  to  explore  the 
sierras  to  the  northwest  of  the  province  which  is  today 
the  southwest  part  of  the  State  of  Colorado,  with  the  object 
of  discovering  minerals.  The  expedition  was  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Don  Juan  Maria  Rivera  who  marched 
as  far  as  the  place  where  the  rivers  Gunnison  and  Uncom- 
paghrejoin  a  larger  river  which  Rivera  called  "Rio  de  la 
Plata,"'  and  to  the  sierra  near  it,  which  he  likewise  named 
"Sierra  de  la  Plata,"  because  he  found  there  man}^  and  verj^ 
rich  silver  mines.  That  was  all  Capuchin  did  during  his  second 
administration.  With  this  comes  to  its  end  the  first  chapter 
of  the  Fourth  Book. 


CHAPTER  11. 


Administration  of  Mendinueta — Historical  Inundation — Harmony  Be- 
tween the  Civil  and  Religious  Authorities — Treaty  With  the  Coman- 
ches  Historical  Accountof  Mendinueta — Other  Events — Harmony 
Between  the  Church  and  the  Government — A  Priest  Discovers  the 
Salt  Lake — The  Form  of  Government  is  Changed — Trevol  and 
Anza — Don  Manuel  Flon  is  Appointed  But  Does  Not  Assume  the 
Government — Don  Fernando  de*  la  Concha  Gomes — Repeopling 
of  Abiquiu,  Ojo  Caliente,  Ghama,  Santa  Cruz  and  Embudo. 


1767-1794. 


As  the  author  by  an  oversight,  omitted  the  mention,  in  the 
preceeding  chapter,  of  the  fact  that  the  points  of  Abiquiu, 
Ojo  Caliente,  Embudo,  Chama,  and  Santa  Cruz  had  been, 
before  the  first  administration  of  Capuchin,  abandoned  by 
the  Spanish  colonists,  by  reason  of  the  frequent  incursions 
of  the  barbarous  Indians,  and  also  on  account  of  the 
frequency  with  which  they  lost  their  crops,  at  times  due  to 
the  drought,  and  most  of  the  time  because  of  those  very 
invasions,  mention  is  now  made  because  it  is  an  important 
event.  A  petition  was  made  in  April,  1750,  to  Governor 
Capuchin  by  several  of  the  colonists  who  previously  lived  in 
said  points,  for  the  repeopling  of  the  same.  The  petition 
was  signed  by  Jose  de  Garraez,  in  his  own  name,  and  as 
representative  of  his  co-colonists.  At  that  date  Capuchin 
was  at  El  Paso,  the  place  where  he  received  said  petition. 
He  considered  it,  and  granted  what  the  petitioners  asked, 
with  the  condition  following.  Capuchin  speaks: — "Let  it  be 
complied  with,  remembering  what  the  most  excellent  Lord 
Viceroy  commands  by  order,  contirming  it  with  the  verdict 
of  the  Lord  Auditor  General  of  War,  for  its  more  punctual 
compliance  and  due  obedience,  so  far  as  it  may  be  possible: 
So  I  ordered  and  signed,  I,  Don  Tomds  Vell^z  Capuchin, 
Governor  of  New  Mexico.'' 


^34  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

The  permanent  repeopling,  then,  of  all  those  points  dates 
from  the  year  1750,  without  having  been  again  abandoned. 
The  narrative  now  follows  of  the  events  that  occurred  during 
the  administration  of  Don  Fermin  de  Mendinueta. 

Government  of  Mendinueta — Historical  Inundation — Harmony  between 
the  Civil  and  Religious  Authorities — Treaty  with  the  Comanches — 
Historical  Account  of  Mendinueta — Other  Events. 

In  the  year  1767,  Santa  Fe  suffered  a  real  calamity.  There 
was  a  rising  or  swelling  of  the  creek  so  great  that  neither 
the  elder  Indians  of  those  times,  nor  the  descendants 
of  the  Spaniards  to  our  own  day,  according  to  tradi- 
tion, ever  saw  its  equal.  The  desolation  was  almost  com- 
plete. Many  persons  perished,  the  buildings  were  destroyed 
and  the  river  changed  its  course  to  the  place  known  today 
in  the  city  as  "Water  Street,"  and  in  Spanish  from  that  day 
to  the  present  date,  by  the  name  of  "Rio  Chiquito."  Basing 
their  calculations  on  the  incomplete  accounts  which  are 
found  about  the  occurrence,  as  well  as  in  the  tradition  that 
has  come  down  from  generation  to  generation,  the  historians 
reckon  that  the  loss  in  live  stock,  buildings  and  other  pro- 
perty was  not  below  $200,000,  and  that  the  lives  lost  reached 
up  to  50.  After  the  inundation  the  colonists  built  up  again 
the  city;  but  not  before  the  citizens  and  the  soldiers  had 
labored  for  a  considerable  time  to  turn  the  river  back  to  its 
old  bed  where  it  has  remained  down  to  our  times. 

Harmony  Between  the  Government  and  the  Ghurch. 

The  difficulties  between  the  priests  and  the  government, 
the  reader  must  have  observed,  had  become,  from  the  early 
days  of  the  conquest,  a  chronic  disease  which,  with  the 
invasions  of  the  barbarous  Indians,  and  the  uprisings  of  the 
Pueblo  Indians,  kept  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  in  per- 
petual agitation.  Mendinueta,  who,  it  mpy  be  said,  was,  with 
the  exception  of  De  Vargas,  the  best  governor,  appreciated 
the  importance  and  value  of  friendship  with  the  ecclesias- 
tical jurisdiction.  He  established  without  delay  friendly 
relations  with  the  Father  Custodio,  from  which  resulted  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NlOW    MEXICO.  335 

most  complete  concords  between  both  powers,  and  the 
renewal  of  efforts  between  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  author- 
ities, causing  the  province  thus  to  again  enter  into  an  epoch 
of  real  development  of  its  industries  and  wealth,  notwith- 
standing that  its  condition  was  lamentable,  viewed  from  a 
civic,  economical,  industrial  and  military  standpoint,  as  Men- 
dinueta  quite  plainly  expresses  it  in  his  account  to  the  King, 
which  we  shall  presently  give. 

Treaty  With  the  Gomanches. 
The  year  1771  signalizes  itself  in  the  history  of  Mendi- 
nueta's  administration  for  the  consummation  of  the  con- 
cord of  which  we  spoke  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  and  also 
of  a  treaty  with  the  warlike  Comanche  nation,  which  had 
become  the  scourge  of  New  Mexico,  Chihuahua  and  Sonora. 
The  treaty  of  peace  thus  made  by  Mendinueta  with  the  said 
Indians  was  respected  and  scrupulously  observed  by  both 
the  said  Indians  and  the  Spaniards,  the  province  getting  as 
a  sequel  great  benefits,  for  the  submission  of  the  Comanches 
was  followed  by  that  of  the  other  tribes  of  barbarian  Indians. 
As  soon  as  Mendinueta  became  satisfied  that  the  effects  of 
the  treaty  were  going  to  be  permanent,  he  issued  a  procla- 
mation similar  to  the  one  issued  every  year  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  Governors  of  the  different 
States  under  the  name  of  "Thanksgiving,'"  and  had  it  her- 
alded in  all  the  settlements  and  Indian  pueblos,  urging  its 
faithful  fulfillment,  and  also  by  sending  a  copy  of  the  treaty  to 
the  Viceroy,  who  received  the  news  with  the  highest  pleasure 
giving  the  governor  the  most  heartfelt  congratulations,  and 
ordering  him  to  make  a  very  minute,  historical  report  of  the 
Province  of  New  Mexico,  and  requesting  him  to  make  such 
recommendations  as  in  his  opinion  he  considered  necessary, 
a  thing  Mendinueta  did  the  next  year,  giving  such  a  detailed 
history  that  it  may  be  deemed  as  important  as  the  historical 
narrative  made  by  Father  Benavides,  the  year  1680,  at 
Madrid,  to  the  King  of  Spain  (see  appendix  first  of  this 
work).  Mendinuetas"  historical  report  we  give  below,  both 
because  it  is,  as  we  have  said,  of  great  importance,  and  that 
it  may  be  perpetuated  in  history. 


336  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Historical  Account  of  Mendinueta — Important  Statement  Which  Gov- 
ernor Mendinueta  Makes  to  the  Viceroy  in  the  Year  1772,  Con- 
cerning the  LamentableGonditionof  the  Inhabitants  of  New  Mexico 
and  Their  Lack  of  Givism.  Taken  from  Hist.  Doc.  Mex.  Vol.  First, 
Third  Series,  Pages  720-728. 

"Most  Excellent  Sir:  On  the  17th  of  February  of  the  cur- 
rent year  I  received  two  letters  from  Your  Excellency,  the 
one  dated  September  28th,  and  the  other  October  19th  of  last 
year.  By  the  first.  Your  Excellency  is  pleased  to  approve  my 
efforts  in  regard  to  the  Comanche  nation,  compelled  by 
necessity;  for  which  I  offer  Your  Excellency  repeated  thanks, 
and,  although  in  it  you  order  me  to  report  the  state  of  this 
province,  and  w^hat  I  may  deem  proper  for  its  quietude,  and 
attending  to  the  fact  that  in  j^our  second  letter  you  reiterate 
the  same  order  to  the  effect  that  I  make  an  exact  statement 
of  the  actual  state  of  this  province,  of  the  armed  people  it  has 
for  its  defense,  and  the  matters  which  they  must  attend  to; 
the  manner  in  which  these  inhabitants  can  obtain  relief,  and 
the  correction  and  punishment  that  should  be  meted  out  to 
rebels  who  occasion  so  many  damages,  I,  herewith,  give  to  the 
two  letters  the  most  exact  and  due  compliance. 

"The  internal  area  of  this  government  from  the  town  the 
Spaniards  commonly  called  "Tome"  on  the  south,  to  the 
Pueblo  of  San  Ger6nimo  of  the  Taos  Indians  on  the  north, 
comprises  56  leagues,  and  from  the  Pueblo  of  Our  Lady  of 
Los  Angels  of  Pecos  on  the  east,  to  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe  of 
the  Zunis  on  the  west,  70  leagues:  In  this  considerable  dis- 
trict, the  inhabitants  of  this  kingdom  live,  both  Spaniards, 
and  reasonable  peoples,  such  as  the  Christian  Indians,  but 
with  this  difference,  that  the  Indian  pueblos  are  all  formed 
in  union,  and  for  that  reason  are  more  defensible,  but  the 
towns  of  the  Spaniards  are  not  united  so  that  to  the  dispersion 
of  their  houses  the  name  of  ranches  or  camp  houses  tit  with 
more  propriety,  and  not  that  of  villas  or  places,  and  for  this 
reason  they  are  incapable  of  any  defense,  a  thing  which  has 
been  the  motive  for  the  depopulation  of  some  weak  frontier 
settlements  without  my  having  been  able  to  protect  them 
permanently  with  the  squad  of  soldiers  destined  for  their 
defense;  and  in  others  not  having  provided  them   with  lire 


ILLUSTUATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  337 

arms  and  ammunitions,  and  the  other  expedients  which  I 
have  essayed;  and  everything  is  made  useless  by  the  fear 
which  has  taken  hold  of  their  dwellers  on  seeing  their 
situations  without  any  defense  and  the  numerous  troops  of 
enemies  tliat  combat  them. 

•'No  Spanish  or  Indian  settlement  can  ever  be  called  a 
center,  but  rather  frontiers  because  they  are  at  longdistances, 
the  ones  from  the  others,  and  these  distances  consist  of 
high  sierras  and  thick  woods  facilitating  the  entry  of  enemies 
to  nearly  all  of  them  unless  an  incessant  care  is  taken  to 
round  up  the  land;  and  this  rarely  accomplishes  the  object 
desired  which  is,  to  see  in  time  if  the  enemy  is  approaching. 

"The  Comanche  nation  invades,  and  is  hostile,  to  these 
settlements  from  every  quarter,  and  the  Apache,  from  the 
west  to  the  south;  and  although  between  the  north  and  the 
west  the  Utes  and  Navajoes  dwell,  these  two  nations  are 
not  always  at  peace,  and  even  if  they  are,  that  fact  notwith- 
standing, the  Comanches  do  not  fail  to  harrass  them  from 
the  side  they  inhabit;  whence  Your  Excellency  will  under- 
stand that  the  interior  of  this  government  is  surrounded  by 
enemies,  in  such  a  way  that  in  its  whole  extent  there  is  not  a 
secure  spot  to  keep  horses  or  any  stock  and  in  all  parts 
thefts  are  occurring. 

"From  what  is  here  expressed  Your  Excellency  will  become 
acquainted  with  the  fact  that,  with  80  soldiers,  which  is  all 
this  garrison  has,  it  is  not  possible  to  guard  so  many  and 
so  far  apart  settlements; nor,  even,  to  give  them  succor  in  time, 
because  the  news  of  the  incursion  or  theft  reaches  here  after 
the  occurrence  has  happened,  with  delay,  not  of  hours,  but  of 
days  most  of  the  time;  and,  as  these  enemies,  when  the}' 
have  done  their  deeds,  whether  favorable  or  adverse,  march 
away  with  precipitate  flight,  they  render  useless  any  succor. 
As,  in  order  to  pursue  them,  it  is  indispensable  that  the 
soldiers  be  joined  by  some  neighbors,  and  as  these,  having 
a  few  scattered  riding  outfits,  waste  most  precious  time  in 
hunting  them  up,  in  this  manner  the  opportunity  of  over- 
taking  them  slips  off. 

"The  men  who  have  offensive  and  defensive  weapons  both 
Spaniards  and  people  of  reason,  with  the  exception  of  the 
guardsmen  with  accoutrements  for    horse-riding,  scarcely 


338  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

reach  two  hundred  and  fifty,  but  it  is  impossible  for  these 
to  ^o  out  on  a  campaign  without  leaving  the  towns  defenseless 
and  exposed  to  total  ruin.  Nor  is  it  possible  for  them  to 
protect  a  helpless  town,  because  the  celerity,  with  which 
the  enemies,  who  are  provided  with  numerous  horses,  make 
their  precipatate  retreats,  does  not  allow  it;  and  it  must  be 
taken  into  account  that,  in  order  to  go  out  on  a  campaign  or 
pursue  these  enemies,  it  is  necessary  that  each  man  carry 
at  least  from  three  to  four  horses,  because,  as  these  barbar- 
ians have  no  fixed  homestead,  they  wander  every  way, 
having  such  an  opportunity  in  the  wide  spread  lands;  and,  in 
order  to  encounter  it  becomes  necessary  to  wander  by 
different  directions  in  which  much  time  and  many  victuals 
are  consumed  which  it  is  indispensable  to  carry  along. 
About  an  equal  number  of  Christian  Indians  can  come 
together  and  co-operate  in  these  campaigns  whose  arms  are 
arrows,  and  some,  though  few  have  tire  arms,  and  although 
the  Pueblos  of  Zufii,  Acoma  and  Laguna  are  numerous,  they 
cannot  be  drawn  out  of  their  pueblos  both  on  account  of  the 
great  distances  as  because  they  do  little  in  defending  them- 
selves from  the  Apaches. 

"The  attentions  which  Spanish  and  Indian  neighbors  have, 
besides  the  care  of  their  scanty  property  in  rhe  fields  and 
plantations,  are  many  without  going  to  the  help  of  an  invaded 
town,  or  to  guard  it  when  there  are  indications  of  the 
approach  of  the  enemies;  pursue  those  who  steal  when  there 
is  prospect  of  overtaking  them,  with  due  regard  to  the  num- 
ber of  thieves  and  to  the  number  of  those  who  can  be 
gathered  in  order  to  pursue  them  speedily;  to  provide  them- 
selves with  riding  outfits,  to  go  out  on  a  campaign  when  the 
governor  deems  it  convenient,  without  any  compensation; 
all  this  becomes  necessary  in  order  to  engross  the  body  of  a 
well  ordered  troop  which  responds  to  the  call  for  these 
operations. 

"It  seems  to  me,  sir,  that  Your  Excellency  will  under- 
stand from  what  I  have  related,  the  situation  and  state  of 
this  province,  the  weak  forces  for  its  defense,  and  the  many 
calls  to  which  they  respond;  for,  although  it  abounds  in  men 
tit  for  war,  the  lack  of  arms,  and  a  good  deal  more,  that  of 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OB^    NEW    MEXICO.  339 

horses,  renders  them  useless,  considering  that  the  war  in 
this  country  cannot  be  made  on  foot. 

"One  ot  the  opportune  means  that  may  be  taken  is  to  com- 
pel the  neighbors  of  each  settlement  who,  as  I  have  said,  live 
in  a  scattered  manner,  to  get  together  and  form  towns  with 
plazas  and  streets  in  such  a  way  that  a  few  men  could  defend 
them,  from  which  it  will  follow  that  they  would  the  more 
quickly  join  in  their  own  defense,  or  be  ready  to  give  help  to 
some  other  place.  Towns  arranged  according  to  this  plan 
would  be  respected  by  the  enemy. 

"The  attainment  of  this  end  is  impracticable  to  a  governor 
because  the  rustic  temper  of  these  neighbors  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  live  separated,  the  ones  from  the  others,  for  not 
even  parents  and  sons  unite,  and  if  I  attempted  to  oblige 
them  to  congregate  it  would  amount  to  making  them  my 
enemies,  and  the  road  to  this  court  would  be  tilled  with  com- 
plainants who,  with  apparent  lamentations  (as  is  their  custom) 
they  would  try,  by  all  means,  to  frustrate  the  object  of  the 
governor,  esteeming  more  a  hfe  exposed  to  ruin,  than  to  live 
under  defense  bj'^  being  united. 

"It  is  not  a  rash  judgment  in  me  to  be  persuaded  of  what  I 
have  above  said,  but  an  experience  acquired  in  cases  of  what 
happened  to  my  predecessors;  for,  unless  force  intervenes 
with  them,  persuasion  is  of  no  avail,  and  only  a  superior  and 
strict  command  from  Your  Excellency  will  be  capable  to  facil- 
itate the  union  of  these  neighbors. 

"I  consider  the  formation  of  settlements,  such  as  I  have 
said,  most  useful  for  the  defensive,  and  the  offensive  in  that 
it  intimidates  the  enemies  and  obliges  them  to  have  less 
arrogance,  and  more  constraint.  For  the  attainment  of  this, 
it  would  be  proper  to  establish  a  garrison  in  the  Valley  of 
Taos,  the  situation  of  which,  on  account  of  being  so  deserted, 
and  distant  from  this  Capital,  25  leagues  of  bad  land  to  the 
north,  and  having  a  pueblo  of  war  accustomed  Indians,  and 
some  neighbors  (and  many  others  who  vvould  return  to  their 
houses  and  labors  at  present  abandoned  through  fear  of  the 
Comanches)  would  insure  that  frontier,  and  at  the  same  time 
would  protect  the  Pueblos  of  Abiquiu,  Santa  Clara,  San  Ilde- 
fonsoand  Picuris  and  all  the  settlements  of  Spaniards  belong- 


340  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ing  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada.  .  And  it 
would  be  quite  difficult  for  the  Comanches,  who  would  insult 
or  steal  in  the  said  pueblos  and  settlements,  to  return  to 
their  land,  without  having  their  retreat  cut  off  by  the  auxi- 
liaries of  that  garrison;  and  these  frontiers,  being  secure  by 
that  garrison,  they  would  be  free  from  that  care,  in  order  to 
also  use  it  in  the  protection  of  the  other  frontiers  and  in 
making  war  on  the  Apaches,  and  there  would  always  be  suffi- 
cient people  to  go  out  on  campaigns  against  any  other  hostile 
nation. 

"The  prudent  and  superior  intelligence  of  Your  Excellency 
will  supply  the  defects  that  may  have  escaped  me,  in  the 
compliance  of  your  command  in  your  two  quoted  and  es- 
teemed letters,  assuring  you  that  all  herewith  explained  is 
as  much  as  the  mediocrity  of  what  my  talent  attains  and 
that  my  good  will  ever  desires  to  act  with  exactness  in 
serving  and  pleasing  Your  Excellency  whose  life  may  God 
Our  Lord  prosper  with  long  years. 

Santa  Fe  of  Nuevo  Mejico  and  March  26  of  1772. 
"Xmo.  Sr.  K.  T.  H.  of  Yours  Excellency 
Your  most  reverent  and  obliged  servant, 

Pedro  Fermin  de  Mendinueta, 
Exmo.  Sr.  D.  Antonio  de  Bucarelig  Urisua." 

Fathers    Escalante    and  Dominguez   Discover    the    Salt   Lake,    Utah, 
1776  *— The  CM  Dwellings. 

In  the  year  1776  under  the  government  of  Mendinueta  the 
Franciscan  Fathers  attempted  to  discover  a  road  or  passage 
to  California  by  the  regions  of  the  north  (as  General  Fre- 
mont did  in  the  last  century.)  They  asked  for  a  military 
escort  to  carry  their  enterprise  into  execution,  but  because 
Mendinueta  was  short  of  troops,  he  could  give  them  only 
nine  soldiers  who  under  the  command  of  Father  Escalante, 
and  accompanied  by  Father  Francisco  Atanacio  Dominguez 

*The  authority  upon  wiiich  I  rely  to  relate  this  daring  effort  of 
Fathers  Escalante  and  Dominguez  is  found  in  their  rei)ort  made  after 
their  return  to  Santa  F^.  which  said  report  I  had  the  opportunity 
of  examining  in  the  archives  of  New  Mexico  in  Santa  F^.  It  is  a  Ms. 
found  among  others  under  the  designation  "Documentos  Hist6ricos."' 
— I'HE  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  841 

set  out  from  Santa  F6  in  a  northly  direction  with  the  hope  of 
finding  a  shorter  route  for  California  and  the  Gulf  Coast. 
The  said  priests  arrived  at  a  very  large  lake  to  which  they 
gave  the  name  of  Salt  Lake,  "Lago  Salado,"  by  which  name  it 
is  known  to  this  date.  The  city  of  Salt  Lake,  today  the 
capital  of  the  State  of  Utah,  is  built  near  it.  From  there  they 
had  to  turn  back,  because  Autumn  was  quite  far  advanced, 
the  mountains  covered  with  snow  and  therefor  impassable. 
They  came  back  on  their  return  trip  by  the  way  of  Arizona. 
They  crossed  the  Rio  Colorado  Grande  (Big  Red  River), 
by  swimming,  near  the  place  where  the  city  of  Yuma*  now 
stands,  visiting  on  their  return  the  provinces  of  Zuni 
and  Moqui,  and  reaching  Santa  Fe  in  the  month  of  Decem- 
ber. By  some  writers  it  is  claimed  that  Fathers  Escalante 
and  Dominguez  visited  the  cliff  dwellings  in  San  Juan  county, 
N.  M.,  but  1  cannot  agree  with  them  because  they  do  not  give 
their  authority  for  the  statement  and  the  Fathers  do  not  say 
so  in  their  report. 

The     Form   of    Government   Is    Changed — Mendinueta    Leaves  New 
Mexico. 

In  the  year  1777  there  was  a  political  change,  which,  if  it 
did  not  change  the  distressing  situation  in  which  New 
Mexico  was  plunged,  it,  at  least,  facilitated  the  means  of 
more  easily  reaching  the  principal  civil  and  military  author- 
ities'. Until  that  date,  as  the  reader  may  have  observed,  the 
Governoi*  of  New  Mexico  was,  as  the  President  of  the  United 
States  actually  is.  President  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  the 
Army,  Civil  Governor,  and,  at  the  same  time.  Captain  Gen- 
eral of  the  province,  having,  in  addition,  power  to  transact 
all  official  business  with  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  directly,  a 
polic.y  which,  on  account  of  the  longdistance  between  Mexico 
and  Santa  Fe,  caused  much  delay  before  the  determinations 
of  the  King  and  Viceroy  were  known.  The  new  order  of 
things  consolidated  the  Provinces  of  Durango,  Sonora, 
Chihuahua  and  New  Mexico  into  a  single  province,  the  four 
being  denominated   "Internal  Provinces,"   and  placing  the 

*The  place  is  not  known  with  certainty,  but,  as  it  is  not  apparent 
that  they  crossed  the  Gila  River,  it  is  reasonable  to  deduce  that  it  was 
below  the  place  of  its  confluence  with  the  Red  River. — The  Author. 


342  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

government  of  all  of  them  in  the  hands  of  a  chief  with  the 
title  of  ''Commandante  General"  who  practically  was  another 
Viceroy,  as  he  acted  independently  of  the  Viceroy,  but  was 
indirectly  subject  to  his  commands.  That  political  change 
deprived  the  Governor  of  New  Mexico  of  the  rank  of  Captain 
General.  The  time  fixed  by  law  for  the  administration  of 
each  governor  was  coming  to  its  close,  and  Mendinueta  had 
to  deliver  the  government  to  his  successor,  who  was  Don 
Juan  Bautista  de  Anza;  but,  as  Mendinueta  had  to  leave 
before  his  successor  arrived,  he  left  Don  Francisco  Trevol 
Navarro  acting  as  governor.  He,  Trevol,  acted  until  the 
beginning  of  August,  1778.  Mendinueta  left  Santa  F6  in 
March,  1778,  covered  with  glory,  and  leaving  in  history  a 
luminous  page  in  which  his  valuable  services  to  New  Mexico 
are  most' brilliantly  reflected. 

Trevol  and  Anza — Terrible  Battle  With  the  Gomanches. 
Don  Francisco  Trevol  Navarro  governed  as  governor,  ad 
interim,  until  the  end  of  August,  1778,  date  in  which  Don 
Juan  Bautista  de  Anza  assumed  the  charge  as  the  legitimate 
successor  of  Mendinueta.  Scarcely  had  Don  Bautista  de 
Anza  assumed  charge  of  the  government  when  news  reached 
him  that  the  Gomanches  were  again  divided  in  different 
encampments,  and  that  one  of  those  encampments  had  as 
its  chief,  the  most  dreaded  of  the  Comanche  captains,  whom 
the  Spaniards  knew  quite  well,  for  they  had  engaged  him  in 
battle  a  number  of  times,  and  whom  they  called  "Cuerno 
Verde"  (Green  Horn);  that  that  chief  and  his  encampment 
had  revolted  again  and  were  committing  depredations.  Gov- 
ernor de  Anza  set  out  in  pursuit  of  him  with  a  considerable 
body  ot  men,  and  with  a  firm  determination  of  administering 
Cuerno  Verde  and  his  band  a  severe  castigation.  The  Span- 
iards met  Cuerno  Verde  and  his  band  after  they  had  trav- 
eled 30  journeys  to  the  northeast  of  Santa  Fe,  which,  judg- 
ing by  the  distance  the  expedition  must  have  traveled  each 
day,  the  place  of  encounter  must  have  been  on  the  Napeste 
(Arkansas)  river,  near  the  place  occupied  today  by  the  city 
of  Hutchison,  in  the  state  of  Kansas.  At  the  said  point  the 
Spaniards  engaged  Cuerno  Verde  and  his  band  in  bloody 
struggle,  the  result  of  which  was  the  death  of  Cuerno  Verde 


ILLUSTliATHD    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  343 

and  five  of  his  most  famous  captains,  and  the  capture  of 
nearly  200  Comanches,  many  horses,  and  a  great  number  of 
buffalo  robes.  The  army  under  the  command  of  Anza  was 
composed  of  989  men  made  up  of  citizens,  which  formed  the 
greater  part,  soldiers  and  friendly  Pueblo  Indians.  On  his 
return  to  Santa  Fe,  Anza  was  informed  that  in  the  Province 
of  Moqui,  the  Indians  were  dying  of  hunger  because  they 
had  not  had  any  crops  that  year  nor  the  year  before.  On 
the  strength  of  that  information  he  made  a  trip  to  Moqui, 
carrying  some  provisions  along,  but  before  starting  he 
wrote  to  the  Commandant  General,  Knight  of  Croix,  asking 
for  help  and  provisions. 

Provinces  of  Moqui  and  Oraibe  Surrender — Famine. 

The  commandant  sent  provisions,  and  orders  for  the 
Spaniards  to  help  the  Moquis.  Anza  obtained  the  surrender 
of  the  Moqui  province  and  of  the  pueblo  of  Oraibe  which  had 
always  been  the  most  obstinate  in  the  matter  of  giving 
obedience  to  the  Spanish  authorities.  In  connection  with 
the  surrender  of  Ora,ibe  an  incident  is  recorded  which 
can  be  well  reckoned  as  an  outburst  of  sublime  patriotism; 
it  is  this:  The  Indians  of  said  pueblo,  together  with  the 
Indians  of  the  Moqui  province  who  had  suffered  for  three 
consecutive  years  for  want  of  crops,  for  during  those  three 
years  not  a  drop  of  water  fell,  surrendered  unconditionally  to 
Governor  Anza  because  they  had  no  longer  strength  to  fight. 
But  the  governor  of  the  pueblo  of  Oraibe,  when  Anza  advised 
him  to  surrender  so  as  not  to  die  of  hunger,  in  spite  of  being 
so  weak  that  he  could  scarcely  speak,  gave  the  Fathers  and 
Anza  this  answer: 

"As  my  nation  is  now  destined  to  perish  the  feW'  of  us  who 
are  left,  wish  to  die  in  our  homes  and  in  our  faith.  Those 
of  my  subjects,  who  may  not  want  to  follow  me  can  do  what 
they  please;  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  cannot  repay  you 
with  anything  for  what  you  give  me,  and  being  unable  to 
defend  myself  because  my  strength  fails  me  I  prefer  to  die 
rather  than  submit."* 

*Anza"s  diary  of  the  province  of  Moqui.  The  words  of  the  Indian 
chief  are  not  textual,  but  their  equivalent  is  given  in  Spanish.— The 
Author. 


844  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

The  chief  died,  and  Anza  and  the  priests  were  able  to  save 
the  Indians  by  distributing,  very  meagerly,  the  provisions 
they  had  carried,  and  by  taking  out  from  each  pueblo  a  num- 
ber of  families  which  they  carried  to  other  places  where 
there  was  no  famine.  The  loss  to  the  Moqui  province  dur- 
ing those  three  years  was  30,000  head  of  sheep  and  all  their 
horses,  their  distressing  situation  being  augmented  b.y  an 
invasion  made  on  them  by  the  Yubas  and  Navajoes  and  by 
pestilential  epidemics  such  as  small  pox. 

The  Indians  attributed  that  terrible  drought,  famine,  inva- 
sion and  epidemic  to  the  work  of  Providence,  as  a  condign 
punishment  for  the  death  of  Father  Garges  whom  they  had 
killed  four  years  before. 

The  events  we  have  heretofore  related  are  the  most  salient 
in  the  administration  of  Governor  Don  Juan  Bautistade  Anza 
which  lasted  until  June,  1789,  the  year  in  which  his  suc- 
cessor arrived.  This  was  Don  Fernando  de  la  Concha  of  whom 
we  shall  speak  in  the  next  paragraph. 

Don  Manuel  Flon  is  Appointed,  But  Does  Not  Assume  the  Govern- 
ment— Don  Fernando  de  la  Concha  Gomes. 
Don  Manuel  Flon  was  sent  directly  by  the  King  of  Spain  as 
governor  of  New  Mexico  in  the  year  1785,  but  he  never 
assumed  the  charge  of  his  administration,  and  not  even  visited 
the  province  of  New  Mexico.  The  reason  of  his  failure  is  not 
shown  by  history,  and  all  that  can  be  gathered,  from  the 
examination  of  old  documents,  is  that,  because  his  wife  was  a 
sister  to  the  Viceroy's  wife,  she  interposed  her  influence  with 
the  Viceroy  to  give  Flon  a  more  remunerative  post.  Don 
Fernando  de  la  Concha  came  to  New  Mexico  in  the  year  1789, 
and  governed  the  province  till  1794.  Nothing  occurred,  during 
his  administration,  that  may  be  classified  as  a  historical  event, 
except  his  having  obtained,  through  the  agency  of  the  priests, 
authority  from  the  Pope  and  the  King  for  founding  a  seminary 
in  New  Mexico,  but  he  was  not  able  to  carry  it  into  effect,  by 
reason  of  having  been  unable  to  raise  the  funds  to  realize  his 
ideal.  With  that  event  the  administration  of  Don  Fernando 
de  la  Concha  closed  with  the  year  1794,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Don  Fernando  Chacon  who  governed  until  the  year  1805.  We 
shall  speak  of  him  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Interesting  Events  Happening  Between  the  Years  1794  and  1814  — 
Results  of  the  Administration  of  Don  Fernando  Chacon — Father 
Ortega  Visits  New  Mexico — Covernor  Aiencaster,  and  Governor 
Manrique — Navajoes  Declare  War — First  Entry  of  American 
Merchants — Election  of  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino  to  the  Spanish 
Congress — His  "History,"  and  his  Interesting  Speech  in  Spain  in 
1812.  

1794-1814. 


Don  Fernando  Chacon  entered  New  Mexico  as  governor  in 
the  year  1794,  finding  the  province  in  a  state  of  peace,  and  its 
inhabitants  employed  in  the  development  of  the  industries. 
That  fact  notwithstanding,  the  Indians,  the  Navajoes  and 
Apaches,  did  not  fail,  every  now  and  then,  to  repeat  their 
incursions  and  thefts.  Don  Fernando  Chacon  was  a  descen- 
dant of  the  first  governor  of  that  name  who  governed  from 
1707  to  1712,  as  we  have  already  seen,  (ante  chapt.  2  of  this 
book),  and  hence,  a  man  of  illustrious  origin  and  of  high 
attainments  in  the  science  of  government.  During  the  four 
years  he  governed  he  made  a  journey  to  Mexico  with  the 
object  of  obtaining  means  for  the  promotion  of  the  mining 
industries  and  in  order  to  personally  present  before  the 
Viceroy,  the  sad  condition  in  which  the  province  of  New 
Mexico  was  sunk  by  the  continual  wars  with  the  Indians. 

However,  he  could  obtain  nothing,  and  returned  to  New 
Mexico.  *  It  is  not  known  who  acted  as  governor  during  his 
absence,  but  it  is  known  that  it  was  in  the  year  1800  that  he 
went  to  Mexico.  During  Chacon's  government,  or  in  the 
year  1798,  the  first  visit  was  made  to  New  Mexico  by  the 
father  known  as  the  "Visitador,'"  (Visitor)  in  the  name  of  the 
Franciscan  Order.  The  Visitador  who  came  to  New  Mexico 
was  Don  Juan  Maria  Vivian  de  Ortega.     It  does  not  appear, 

*  None  of  the  historians  who  have  written  about  New  Me.xico  men- 
tion the  trip  of  Chacon  to  Mexico  but  the  author  of  this  work  has 
in  his  possession  papers  that  confirm  it.— The  Author. 


346  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

either  in  the  archives  or  in  the  written  histories  whether  or 
not  the  civil  authorities  made  any  preparations  for  the  recep- 
tion of  so  distinguished  an  official.  The  ecclesiastical  authority, 
however,  did  make  them,  as  it  appears  in  a  document  (oficio) 
which  is  in  the  hands  of  the  author,  and  which  was  issued  by 
Pr.  Francisco  de  Hocio,  Custodio  of  New  Mexico,  on  the  10th 
day  of  September,  1798,  in  the  form  of  a  circular  addressed 
to  the  Curates  of  the  following  missions:  Nambe,  Canada, 
San  Juan,  Picuris,  Taos,  Abiquiu,  Santa  Clara,  San  Ildefonso, 
Jemes,  Cochiti,  Laguna,  Isleta,  Belen,  Alburquerque,  Sandia, 
San  Felipe.  That  is  the  route  which  said  circular  followed, 
the  curate  of  each  mission  annotating  in  the  margin  of  said 
document  the  hour  of  arrival  of  the  courier  who  carried  it, 
and  his  hour  of  departure,  so  that  when  said  document 
returned  to  Santa  Fe,  it  had  the  signature  of  each  of  the 
parish  priests  of  the  missions  indicated.  The  important  part 
of  said  document  is  herewith  reproduced  textually: 

"Most  dear  Fathers  and  Brethren:  I  remit  to  your  P.  P. 
andR.  R.  the  adjoining  papers,  which  with  this  date,  Sr.  Don 
Jos6  Maria  Vivian  de  Ortega  has  addressed  to  me,  with  the 
end  that  being  informed  of  their  contents  you  may  execute 
and  comply  with  what  is  therein  expressed,  for  in  not  doing 
so,  such  a  course  would  be  most  regrettable  tome,  and  will, 
besides,  oblige  me  to  take  the  most  serious  and  opportune 
measures  which  I  hope  your  Paternities  and  Reverencies 
will  avoid  by  being  of  my  manner  of  thinking;  for,  as  Prelate, 
(although  unworthy),  I  do  not  procure  any  other  thing  than 
the  tranquility,  and  repose  of  all,  as  Our  Most  Reverend 
Father  Provincial  recommends  it  tome  most  heartily:  and,  as 
Don  Jos^  Maria  Vivian  de  Ortega  must  begin  his  holy  visit 
(as  visitor  to  this  Custodio  assigned  by  his  most  Illustrious 
Lordship)  on  the  28th  inst.,  after  the  order  in  the  margin, 
your  Paternities  and  Reverencies  should  be  prepared  for 
his  opportune  arrival,  having  the  Sacred  vessels.  Holy  Oleums, 
ornaments,  administration  books  and  books  of  confrater- 
nities, (where  they  may  be  found)  together  with  everything 
pertaining  to  your  ministry  of  cur^s  of  souls,  as  I  have 
advised  it  before  hand." 

The  result  of  the  inspection  by  the  Visitor  General  is  not 
related  to  us  by  the  Fathers  or  by  history,  at  least  the  author 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  847 

has  not  been  able  to  find  it.  Let  us  again  return  to  the  gov- 
ernor. Perhaps  Governor  Chacon's  rectitude  of  character 
more  than  anything  else  contributed  to  establish  the  peace 
and  quietude  vvhich  the  province  of  New  Mexico  enjoyed 
during  the  eleven  years  of  his  administration,  as  vi^ill  be  seen 
by  the  official  letter  which  he  addressed  to  Don  Manuel 
Artiaga,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  (Alcalde  Mayor)  of  Isleta, 
which  says  literally: 

"L  am  informed  that  the  horses  taken  by  the  Apaches  have 
returned  alone  by  themselves,  and  of  the  ones  lately  stolen 
from  Tomas  Garcia  out  of  his  ranch  which  is  near  Navajoe;  and 
so  far  as  concerns  the  mule  whose  owner  has  not  appeared  it 
would  be  acceptable  that  you  should  write  to  the  Alcaldes  of 
Alameda  and  .Jemes  giving  them  color,  brand  and  other  marksj 
so  they  might  make  inquiries  as  to  whether  it  belonged  to 
any  individual  in  those  jurisdictions,  and  if  not  to  credit  it  on 
the  public  funds.  In  regard  to  the  two  individuals  whom  you 
lately  sent  as  prisoners  to  Sabinal,  and  to  the  other  who- 
residedat  Belen,only  your  goodness  could  have  condescended 
to  their  petition  to  be  allowed  to  go  with  the  campaigners;  for 
besides  being  in  w^ant  of  provisions,  they  were  traveling  on 
foot  for  want  of  horses,  and  without  any  arms  because  they 
did  not  have  them,  all  four  of  them  being  prisoners;  there- 
fore 1  have  directed  the  bearer,  that  if  he  meets  them  on  the 
road,  before  they  arrive  at  the  appointed  stopping  place,  to 
make  them  turn  back,  and  if  they  don't,  I  have  already  taken 
the  measures  to  arrest  them  again,  and  then  send  them  anew 
for  a  third  time,  in  which  case  you  will  let  them  know  and 
understand  that  no  consideration  could  absolve  them  from 
their  exile,  and  you  can  grant  them  leave  only  to  go  out  of  the 
land  and  never  to  return,  for  on  the  contrary  they  will  irre- 
missibly  suffer  imprisonment  for  ten  years. 

"May  God  guard  you  M.  A. 

Fernando  Chacon.     (Seal). 

"Santa  Fe,  21st  of  April,  1799." 

It  was  also  during  the  administration  of  Governor  Chacon 
that  the  resettlement  of  a  town  near  the  pueblo  of  Laguna 
was  undertaken  (which  the  author  believes  is  no  other  than 
the  town  of  Cubero  or  that  of  Cebolleta)  as  is  indicated  by  an 


348  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

official  document  issued  by  Father  Jose  Benito  Periero, 
Cure  of  la  Laguna  entitled  thus:  "Notice  of  the  Mission  of 
Saint  Joseph  de  la  Laguna  which  is  administered  by  Father 
Jose  Benito  Pereiro,  a  religious  of  the  regular  observance  of 
our  Holy  Father  Saint  Francis,  its  progress  in  the  year  1801, 
number  of  ministers  who  have  served  in  it,  the  synod  that 
it  enjoys  and  total  of  souls  with  distinction  as  to  classes  and 
sexes  in  the  province  of  New  Mexico.'" 

Continuing  Father  Pereiro  gives  an  account  of  the 
number  of  Indians  and  Spaniards  who  inhabited  said  pueblo 
and  vicinity,  whose  population  reached  the  number  of  822, 
and  the  Father  continues: 

"By  the  preceding  exhibit  it  is  manifest  that  since  March 
19th,  1800,  when  the  Spaniards  and  peoples  of  other  classes 
began  their  new  settlement  near  this  mission,  till  the  first  of 
January,  1801,  there  was  an  increase  of  one  in  the  Spaniards 
and  people  of  other  classes;  and  from  the  first  of  said  Jan- 
uary to  the  20th  of  June  of  1801,  there  was  another,  result- 
ing in  an  increase  of  two  in  the  two  years.'" 

Navajoe  Nation  Declares  War. 

By  the  year  1804,  the  Navajoes  committed  many  depreda- 
tions and  thefts,  causing  at  the  same  time,  a  great  number  of 
deaths  among  the  farmers  and  herders,  on  account  of  which 
a  campaign,  consisting  of  citizens,  which  was  sustained  and 
helped  by  Governor  Chacon,  was  undertaken  against  said 
Indians;  but  as  those  incursions,  deaths  and  thefts,  were  of 
a  local  character,  for  they  were  committed  in  the  district 
and  pueblos  of  Abiquiu,  the  Cur6  of  those  missions  issued  a 
circular  to  the  Cures  of  Belen,  Isleta,  Alburquerque,  Sandia, 
San  Felipe,  Santa  Ana,  Jemes,  and  Cochiti  imploring  them 
to  unite  with  him  in  praying  to  God  for  the  success  of  the 
Spanish  arms  (the  original  is  in  the  hands  of  the  author) 
which  circular  textually  says: 

Circular  Imploring  Prayers  for  the  Success  of  the  Spaniards- 
"Most  dear   Fathers  and   Brethren: — Notorious   to  all  of 
your  Paternities  and  Reverencies  are  the  very  grave  tribu- 
lations experienced  for  more  than  two  months  by  the  deaths 
of  Christians,  and  thefts  of  animals  caused  by  the  enemies, 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  349 

the  Navajoes;  and  as  the  principal  medium  to  placate  the 
just  anger  of  God,  and  to  hold  back  the  scourge  of  his  justice 
are  prayers  and  sacrifices  offered  bj'  us  as  mediators  between 
His  Most  High  Majesty  and  men;  and  furthermore  being 
pastors  of  their  souls  and  to  see  to  it  that  the  crown  of  the 
King  (God  preserve  him)  is  revered,  and  for  the  temporal 
weal  of  this  province,  believing  your  Paternities  and  Rever- 
encies  equally  animated  by  the  same  zeal  for  the  cause  of 
God,  of  the  King,  and  of  this  soil,  and  I,  as  prelate,  upon 
whom  weighs  down  the  double  burden  of  my  pastoral  office, 
I  pray,  entreat,  and  even  command  your  Paternities  and 
Reverencies  that,  as  soon  as  you  see  this  circular  you  shall 
offer  to  the  Almighty,  with  the  greatest  speed  possible,  a 
solemn  mass  with  processions  at  the  end  of  it,  singing  the 
litany  of  the  Saints,  and  during  the  present  campaign  you 
shall  recite  in  mass  the  prayer  Pro  Tempore  Belli  for  the 
happy  outcome  of  the  arms  of  the  King,  and  for  our  success 
in  the  pacification  of  the  province." 

First  North  American  Merchants — Entry  of  Lalande. 

In  the  year  1804  commercial  trade  was  first  introduced 
with  the  North  Americans,  that  is,  on  that  year  the  first 
North  American  merchant,  named  Juan  Bautista  Lalande, 
entered  Santa  Fe  *  He  had  been  sent  by  William  Morrison, 
a  merchant  from  Illinois,  to  sell  American  merchandise. 
Lalande  disposed  of  the  merchandise,  appropriated  the 
money,  and  married  a  lady  in  Santa  Fe,  where  he  lived  the 
rest  of  his  life.  With  these  events  the  administration  of 
Don  Fernando  Chacon  came  to  its  end,  and  that  of  Don 
Joaquin  del  Real  Alencaster,  who  ruled  till  1808,  began. 

*In  another  work  of  this  author,  "'Resena  Historico — Sinoptica  de 
la  Guerra  Mexico— Americana/'  in  Chapt.  XV  of  said  work,  this 
author  says  that  Juan  Bautista  Lalande  was  the  first  stranger  who 
came  to  New  Mexico.  I  said  so  because  when  I  wrote  said  work  I  had 
not  found  the  data  that  contradicts  that  fact;  I  had  followed  the  opin- 
ions of  Prince,  Salpointe,  Davis,  Gregg  and  other  historians  who  not 
knowing  of  the  existence  of  the  data  now  in  my  possession,  fell  into 
the  same  error.  The  reader  will  recall  to  have  read  in  Chapt.  I  of  this 
fourth  book  (which  see)  that  in  the  year  174.'J,  there  came  to  New- 
Mexico  Jean  de  A'lay  and  Luis  Marie.  That  historical  error  is  there- 
fore corrected.— The  Author. 


350  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Administration  of  Alencaster — The  Strangers  Continue  Flocking  In — 
A  Military  Official  From  the  American  Army  Is  Captured — Pur- 
chase of  Louisiana. 

In  June  1805,  another  stranger,  a  citizen  from  Kentucky, 
named  James  Pursley,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  arrived  and 
settled  at  Santa  F^.  Lalande  and  Pursley  were  followed  by 
Zebulon  Pike,  an  ofificial  of  the  American  army.  Pike  did 
not  come  to  New  Mexico  as  an  adventurer,  but  as  an  explorer. 
The  American  Government  being  desirous  of  learning  the 
■extension  and  the  topographical  conditions  of  the  vast  terri- 
tory it  had  bought  from  Napoleon  in  1803,  (Louisiana)  sent 
Pike,  in  1806,  at  the  head  of  an  escort,  that  he  should  make 
the  necessary  observations  about  the  vast  territory  thus 
acquired  three  years  before.  Pike  reached  the  northern 
boundary  line  of  New  Mexico  and  camped  near  the  Rio 
Grande,  near  the  place  where  the  town  of  Alamosa,  Colorado, 
stands,  not  thinking  that  he  was  within  the  boundaries  of 
New  Mexico,  constructed  a  fortification  in  the  place,  and 
unfurled  the  American  flag.  For  this  act  he  was  captured 
by  the  Spaniards  with  all  his  outfit,  brought  to  Santa  Fe,  and 
from  Santa  Fe  taken  to  Chihuahua.  This  occurred  in  1807,* 
while  Alencaster,  who  imprisoned  Pike,  w^as  governor. 
Before  the  end  of  1808  Alencaster  went  out  as  governor,  and 
Don  Alberto  Mainez  was  left  governing  ad  interim.  From 
that  year  on  the  Yankee  civilization  commenced  to  spread  in 
New  Mexico.  With  the  contact  thus  established  with  the 
North  Americans,  who  continued  pouring  in  frequently,  the 
hope  also  came  that  the  innumerable  sufferings  which  the 
poor  Province  of  New  Mexico  had  experienced  would  now 
commence  to  draw  to  a  close.  As  nothing  else  worthy  of 
mention  happened  during  the  administration  of  Alencaster 
and  Mainez,  we  will  follow  the  narration  of  events  with  the 
inauguration  of  Governor  Jose  Manrique,  who  assumed  the 
charge  at  the  close  of  1808  and  governed  to  the  year  1914. 

*Read"s:     Resefia  Hist.  Sinop.  de  la  Guer.  Mex.  Americ.  Cap.  15. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  351 

Administration  of  Manrique — First  Delegate  Sent  to  the  Spanish  Con- 
gress— Singular  Method  of  his  Election — Other  North  American 
Strangers  Gome — Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino  Deputy  to  Spain 
Publishes  the  History  of  New  Mexico — The  Same  Personage 
Pronounces  an  Interesting  Address  Before  the  Spanish  Congress 
at  Cadiz — Other  Interesting  Things. 

Tlie  administration  of  Governor  Manrique  was  rich  in 
valuable  incidents  and  events  of  high  historical  interest,  as 
it  was  during  his  incumbency  that  for  the  first  time  New 
Mexico  experienced  the  satisfaction  felt  when  the  citizens 
of  a  free  people  elect  their  own  officials.  At  that  time  there 
was  no  council  in  Santa  Fe  to  preside  over  the  election  of  a 
deputy  to  the  Cortes  of  Spain  which  was  authorized  for  the 
first  time  by  a  Royal  Statute  of  February  14th,  1810,  for  which 
reason  Governor  Manrique  ordered  a  meeting  of  the  Alcaldes 
of  the  different  villas  for  the  election  of  said  deputy,  the  same 
falling  upon  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino  who  started  on  the 
same  year  for  Spain  defraying  his  ow'n  expenses.  Let  us 
hear  Pino  relate  to  us  the  method  used  in  his  election  and 
the  representation  he  made  before  the  Spanish  Congress  of 
the  recommendations  made  to  him  by  his  constituents.  We 
give  the  same,  textually : 

Pino's  Election- 

"All  the  towns  of  that  province  were  invited  by  their  gov- 
ernor for  the  purpose  of  an  election  as  there  was  no  council 
in  the  city,  thus  substituting  it  by  Alcaldes  and  decorated 
persons  who  deserved  public  confidence,  after  assemblying 
them  in  the  Capital,  and  reminding  them  of  what  is  provided  in 
the  Royal  Decree  of  the  14th  of  February,  1810,  issued  in  the 
Island  of  Leon  by  the  regency  that  installed  the  Central  Junta 
of  the  Spains,  the  following  (candidates)  were  selected:  Don 
Jose  Pino,  Captain  of  Militia,  and  Alcalde  of  the  Villa  of  Albur- 
querque;  Don  Antonio  Ortiz,  Royal  Ensign  of  the  Province;  Don 
Diego  de  Montoya,  Alcalde  by  First  Instance  of  the  Capital; 
Don  Jos^  Garcia,  from  La  Mora,  Retired  Lieutenant  and 
Attorney  of  the  Villa  of  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada;  Don  3os6 
Miguel  Tafoya,  Alcalde  of  Second  Instance  of  the  Capital,  and 
first  corporal   retired   from  the  veteran  company  where  he 


352  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

served  29  years;  Don  Jose  Antonio  Chavez,  Alcalde  of  the 
First  Instance  of  the  Villa  of  Alburquerque;  Don  Miguel  Gar- 
cia, Alcalde  of  the  Villa  of  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada,  and  its 
dependencies;  Don  Miguel  Antonio  Baca,  Alcalde  of  the 
Second  Instance  of  the  Villa  of  Alburquerque;  Don  Cleto 
Miera  y  Pacheco,  Ordinary  Alcalde  of  St.  Charles  of  Alameda, 
and  its  dependencies;  Don  Tomas  Ortiz,  Alcalde  of  San  Gero- 
nimo  de  Taos.  All  these  citizens,  presided  over  by  the 
Governor,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Don  Jose  Manrique,  and  in  the 
presence  of  many  distinguished  persons  from  the  pueblos 
shov^'ed  their  votes  in  favor  of  Don  Antonio  Ortiz,  Don  Juan 
Rafael  Ortiz,  Captain  Don  Jose  Pino,  Don  JosePascual  Garcia 
de  la  Mora,  Don  Bartolome  Fernandez  and  Don  Pedro  Bau- 
tista  Pino. 

Those  who  came  out  with  a  majority  in  their  favor,  in 
order  to  draw  lots  were  Don  Antonio  Ortiz,  Don  Juan  Rafael 
Ortiz,  and  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino.  And  the  lot  having 
fallen  to  me,  I  am  the  same  person  who  today  has  the  honor 
of  counting  himself  as  one  of  those  who  compose  this  august 
and  sovereign  Congress  of  the  Spains,  and  of  asking  per- 
sonally from  Your  Majesty  the  very  urgent  remedies  for  the 
evils  from  which  that  province  suffers.  In  order  to  effect 
such  a  thing  I  offered  before  hand  to  undertake  the  journey 
at  my  own  expense,  which  vo3'age  is  of  more  than  900  leagues 
by  land  to  the  place  of  sailing  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  1900  by 
water  as  far  as  Cadiz.  The  abandonment  of  22  persons 
which  make  up  my  family,  my  age  and  infirmities,  finally  all 
the  hardships  that  I  have  suffered  (this  first  son  of  that 
province  who  has  come  to  Spain)  I  deem  them  all  well  em- 
ployed, if  they  but  contribute  to  remedy  the  evils  that  aftlict 
my  fellow  citizens. — (Pino  "Not.  Hist."  Pino  p.  36-37.)  Pino 
continues  saying: 

"Particular  Individuals  Who  Also  Gave  Me  Instructions." 

"The  Rev.  Father  Preacher,  Fr.  Francisco  de  Hocio,  native 
from  the  province  of  Bilbao,  in  Spain,  and  Chaplain  of  the 
garrison  of  New  Mexico  since  26  years  ago,  a  person  very 
much  loved  by  all  the  province,  delivered  me  a  copy  book 
signed  by  his  hand  in  10  leaves  to  the  folio  and  commences: 


ILLUSTRATF:n    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  353 

"Prospect  on  plan  over  different  solicitudes."  Don  Mariano 
de  la  Peila,  native  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  resident  in  that 
province  from  his  tender  age  delivered  to  me  another  one  in 
5  leaves  which  commences:  "Simple  production  which  shows 
the  good  will  of  the  one  who  signs  it  below,"'  Don  Ignacio 
Sanchez  Vergara,  alcalde  of  the  pueblo  of  Jemes,  and  its 
accessories,  a  native  also  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  delivered  to 
me  another  one  which  commences-  "Interesting  points  about 
this  province."  It  is  also  signed  by  Don  Jose  Gutierrez, 
Capt.  Bartolome  Baca  delivered  to  me  a  letter  in  half  a  sheet 
which  commences:  "By  reason  of  my  absence  in  the  attend- 
ance of  the  meeting  of  judges  etc."  and  ends  "San  Fernando 
de  Tome  28th  of  October,  181 1."  Don  Juan  Jos6  Silva,  native 
of  that  province,  delivered  to  me  a  paper  which  commences: 
"General  points  for  the  Lord  Deputy,"'  The  entire  contents 
both  of  the  first  official  instructions,  signed  by  those  who 
certified  my  election  and  are  here  referred  to,  as  well  as 
those  of  these  particular  persons,  Your  Majesty  may  see 
whenever  it  be  your  sovereign  pleasure.  They  will  con- 
vince you  of  the  urgency  that  I  have  laid  down  before  you  as 
to  what  is  demanded;  will  also  show  you  the  ample  services 
rendered  your  Majesty  by  those  inhabitants;  will  give  testi- 
mony of  their  physical  and  moral  needs;  will  make  for  tljem- 
selves  a  place  in  the  compassionate  heart  of  your  Majesty, 
that  in  due  time  the  province  may  be  drawn  out  of  the 
abandonment  and  orphanage  in  which  they  have  lived  to  this 
date  on  account  of  the  indolence  on  the  part  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  they  shall  finally  show  most  clearly  the  imminent 
danger  of  its  (the  province  of  N.  M.)  being  the  prey  of  our 
American  neighbors,  leaving,  in  consequence,  the  other 
provinces  exposed  to  the  same  fate,  one  after  another.  I 
hope  my  Lord,  that  Your  Majesty  will  be  profoundly  pene- 
trated of  this  truth,  considering  that  the  purchase  of 
Louisiana,  which  the  United  States  has  made  has  opened  to 
that  nation  the  gate  to  arm  and  mobilize  against  us  the  gentile 
nations,  as  well  as  to  invade  the  province  themselves,  which 
once  lost,  it  will  be  impossible  to  recover  it.  And  as  we  are 
now  in  a  position  to  prevent  that  evil  let  your  Majesty  take 
heed  of  these  warnings  which  mere  chance  has  caused  them 


354  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

to  come  with  me  to  Spain,  so  that  delay  in  applying  the 
remedy,  may  not  be  the  cause  of  the  evil  which  is  so  justly 
feared  by  the  one  who  has  had  the  honor  to  present  it  before 
Your  Majesty.'"     (Pino  Not.  Hist,  p 36-37.) 

Petitions  in  Conformity  with  His  Instructions  With  Which  Ends  the 
Memorandum.  (Supra)  Pino's  Pathetic  Appeals  for  Educational 
Establishments. 

"I  have  manifested,  sir,  the  sad  situation  of  that  province 
which  I  have  the  honor  to  represent.  It  only  remains  for  me 
to  ask  of  Your  Majesty  the  remedy  which  it  speedily  needs 
for  its  relief,  and  for  its  beginning  to  enjoy  the  prosperity  of 
which  it  is  susceptible. 

"For  that  purpose,  and,  in  conformity  with  my  instruc- 
tions, it  becomes  indispensable  that  Your  Majesty  condescend 
to  accede  to  the  following  petitions :  1st.  The  establishment  of 
an  Espiscopate  in  its  Capital,  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico;  2nd.  The 
establishment  of  a  seminary  college  of  higher  studies  and  of 
public  schools  for  the  teaching  of  the  youth:  3rd.  The  uni- 
formity in  military  service,  enlarging  the  four  garrisons  that 
have  been  mentioned,  and  paying  all  the  neighbors  who  are 
ordered  to  be  placed  under  arms  (including  the  three  militia 
conxpanies  already  referred  to)  as  it  is  done  in  Durango, 
Sonora,  Texas  and  the  other  adjoining  provinces;  4th.  The 
establishment  of  civil  and  criminal  courts  in  Chihuahua. 

"These  four  provinces,  sir,  should  not  be  so  called,  if  the}' 
are  well  considered.  What  other  province  of  the  monarchy 
could  count  50years  without  havingseen  itsbishop?  Which  one, 
at  a  distance  of  600  leagues  from  the  administration  of  justiceV 

None,  however  unhappy  it  might  be the  claims,  then, 

which  my  province  reduces  to  petitions,  should  be  called 
just  claims."  ("Not  Hist."  p.  90) 

In  presenting  his  said  memorandum  to  the  Congress(which 
heafterwards  sent  topress  inCadiz  under  the  title  of  "Noticias 
Hist6ricas  de  Nuevo  M^jico")  he  made  several  comments  on 
the  extremely  sad  situation  of  New  Mexico,  taking  all  the 
branches  of  industry,  one  by  one,  which,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  were  found  in  complete  standstill,  on  account  of  the 
causes  which  the    reader    already  understands.     Mr.  Pino 


ILLUSTRATF:n    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  35') 

makes  a  very  correct  and  detailed  exposition  in  the  form  of  a 
summary  or  abridgement,  but,  as  the  reader  is  already 
acquainted  with  all  the  sufferings  of  which  the  abandoned 
people  of  New  Mexico  had  undergone,  the  author  would 
become  wearisome  if  he  repeated,  by  paraphrasing  Pino, 
what  the  reader  already  knows;  the  author,  however,  takes 
leave  to  reproduce  the  words  of  Mr.  Pino  in  reference  to  the 
little  protection  New  Mexico  received  from  the  King,  through 
the  lack  of  an  army;  the  scarcity  of  victuals  and  ammunitions 
of  war.  Mr.  Pino  draws  a  picture  so  vivid,  so  piteous,  and  so 
pathetic  that  one  is  overawed  at  the  contemplation  of  the 
patriotism  and  abnegation  of  the  inhabitants,  of  the  aban- 
doned, despised  and  unfortunate  province  of  New  Mexico. 
Let  the  reader  read  that  word  picture  of  the  Deputy,  Don 
Pedro  Bautista  Pino,  and,  then,  ask  himself  if  it  be  possible 
to  find  any  other  people  more  forbearing  in  the  history  of  the 
world.     Pino  speaks: 

"No  province  in  Spanish  America  can  show  such  services 
as  the  province  of  New  Mexico.  It  already  numbers  1 18  years 
of  continual  wars  with  the  33  savage  nations  which  surround 
it,  and  to  this  date  it  has  not  lost  a  foot  of  ground  from  its 
ancient  boundaries.  It  has  cost  her,  indeed,  many  vigils  and 
fatigues,  great  loss  of  people  and  property;  yet  its  courage 
and  constant  adherence  to  the  crown  of  Castile  has  caused 
her  to  despise  the  perils  amid  which  it  has  repeatedly  seen 
itself  involved. 

"The  intelligent  people  of  the  United  States  seem  to  be 
more  deeply  penetrated  with  this  adherence  and  fidelity  than 
the  inhabitants  of  old  Spain,  and  of  the  indifference  with 
which  that  province  has  been  looked  upon,  and  have,  there- 
fore, endeavored  to  attract  it  to  themselves  by  various  means. 
Realizing  that  their  position  would  make  them  owners  of  our 
other  internal  domains  between  both  seas,  south  and  north; 
and  their  commerce  having  been  introduced  into  the  interior 
of  Mexico,  they  have  tried  both  by  coaxing  us  with  an  advanta- 
geous commerce,  and  by  inviting  us  through  mild  and  protect- 
ive laws,  to  annex  this  precious  portion  of  territory  to  that  of 
the  Louisiana  land,  already  purchased  by  them,  and  by  which 
we  are  bounded;  but  neither  by  these  means,  nor  by  their 


356  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

threats  in  building  forts  in  the  immediate  localities,  nor  even 
by  arousing  the  savages  against  us  have  they  succeeded  in 
anything,  except  in  losing  their  hopes  in  each  one  of  their 
attempts. 

"In  order  to  maintain  this  glory  it  has  been  necessary  to 
keep  constantly  1,500  men  underarms.  As  the  public  treasury 
has  disregarded  their  payment  it  was  necessary  to  reduce  the 
service  to  payment  by  corporation.  These  neighbors,  then, 
work  by  turns  in  their  military  tasks  with  the  same  punc- 
tuality  as  if  they  were  veterans.  They  have  to  present  them- 
selves with  a  change  of  horses,  firelocks,  pistols,  bows, 
arrows  and  shields.  They  assume  well  the  obligation  of 
paying  for  the  ammunitions  and  the  provisions  necessary 
during  the  time  they  are  kept  under  arms  which  is  wont  to 
be  regularly  45  days,  and  sometimes  two  or  three  months  of 
continuous,  cruel  war  with  savage  nations  who  are  already 
armed  and  skilled  in  the  ase  of  the  guns. 

"This  most  hard  and  unsupportable  burden  which  has  no 
like  in  any  other  province,  causes  New  Mexico  certain  evils 
more  easily  conceived,  than  explained:  suffice  it  to  say,  that 
many  of  those  unfortunates  are  ruined  by  a  single  campaign, 
for  they  have  to  sell  their  own  clothing  and  their  families"s  to 
provide  themselves  with  ammunitions  and  provisions.  To 
say  it  all  in  one  word,  this  evil  reaches  up  to  such  an  extreme 
that  even  the  liberty  of  their  sons  is  sacrificed  in  order  to 
comply  with  that  obligation  as  a  neighbor.  This  is  one  of  the 
principal  motives  of  the  backwardness  of  prosperity  in  that 
province,  and  the  source  of  the  complaints  of  its  inhabitants 
by  reason  of  not  being  uniformed  in  the  service  with  the 
others. 

Veteran  Company. 

"The  King  only  pays  for  121  men  (soldiers)  at  240  annual 
pesos  (dollars)  per  man  distributed,  as  follows:  39,  in  the 
camp  of  horses  (such  is  called  tlie  perambulating  camp);  12, 
in  the  body  guard  or  soldiers  quarters  of  the  Capital;  7,  in 
Sevolleta,  the  frontier  of  the  Apache  Indians.  The  rest,  in 
other  assignments;  and  those  quartered  with  other  neighbors 
who  pay  their  own  expenses. 

"The  102  Spanish  towns  referred  to  are  also  paid  for  by  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  357 

neighbors;  so  that  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  that  province 
in  obedience  to  the  crown,  those  neighbors  have  to  this  date 
paid  the  following  sums,  to  wit: 

l.'iOO  soldiers  daily  ('/  240  duros  each  per  year  (as  the 

121  paid  for  by  the  treasury)  are  in  118  years .  .$42,480,000 
The  forces  referred  to  cost  (at  least)  5,009  duros  *        610,000 


Total §43,090,000 

Other  North    Americans   Come    in   Under    McKnight,    Glen,  Becknei 
and  Cooper.  . 

In  1812,  an  expedition  came  from  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  to 
Santa  F^  composed  of  two  adventurers,  with  an  Irishman  at 
the  head  named  McKnight,  bringing  along  with  them  a  pack 
of  mules  loaded  with  merchandise.  At  Santa  F^,  they  were 
looked  upon  as  spies;  their  effects  were  confiscated,  and  they 
were  sent  to  Chihuahua  as  prisoners.  The  same  year  two 
others  strangers  came,  one  of  them  named  Glen,  (a  merchant 
from  Ohio)  who  came  to  sell  merchandise,  and  the  other 
called  Becknell.  These  were  followed  the  same  year  by 
others  to  the  number  of  15  under  the  command  of  an  indivi- 
dual called  Cooper,  also  with  merchandise.  With  this  last 
expedition  of  merchants,  the  trade  between  New  Mexico  and 
Missouri  became  established  and  from  New  Mexico  it 
extended  down  to  Chihuahua,  from  whence  on  April  3rd, 
1839,  an  expedition  of  Mexican  merchants  set  out  for  the 
United  States  with  a  caravan  of  seven  wagons  which  also 
traversed  the  Territory,  but  did  not  touch  the  capital,  Santa 
Fp. 

Interesting  Speech  of  Mr.  Pino     Forseeing  the  Change  of  Flags. 

On  November  28th,  1812,  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino  delivered 
before  the  Spanish  Congress  an  interesting  speech,  elucid- 
ating the  reasons  he  had  to  demand  from  the  nation  the  things 
which,  as  the  reader  already  knows,  he  had  previously  asked 
in  his  memorandum  or  exposition,  to  wit: — The  establishment 
of  an  Episcopate  in  Santa  Fe;  the  establishment  of  a  Semin- 
ary College  and  public  schools,  in  the  same  place;  the  uniform- 

*  Fino's  Not.  Hist.  p.  41  to  4.i. 


358  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ity  in  the  military  service;  the  estabhshment  of  a  Tribunal 
of  Justice  in  Chihuahua,  and  the  right  that  New  Mexico  be 
authorized  to  send  a  Deputy  to  the  courts  of  equity  at  the 
Island  of  Santo  Domingo.  The  speech  which  we  have  been 
referring  to  has  never  before  been  published,  but  the  author 
of  this  work,  in  April,  1910,  through  the  agency  of  Don 
Antonio  Aragon  Montejo,  of  Madrid,  Spain,  obtained  a  copy, 
written  by  hand  by  Mr,  Montejo,  from  the  official  daily 
records  of  the  Spanish  Congress  of  those  years,  and  in  that 
way  he  can  lay  before  his  readers  the  interesting  words  of 
Mr.  Pino. 

At  that  date,  November  20,  1912,  Spain  was  at  war  with 
France  and  other  nations  in  Europe,  and  with  all  her  colonies 
in  North  America,  a  reason  why  New  Mexico  was  ignored  by 
the  Spanish  government;  for  as  Mexico  was  also  struggling 
against  Spain  for  its  independence,  it  could  not  receive, 
neither  from  the  Viceroy,  in  Mexico,  nor  from  the  King,  in 
Spain,  the  attentions  which  Mr,  Pino  was  so  energetically 
demanding.  Mr.  Pino,  referring  to  the  causes  which  origin- 
ated the  war  in  Mexico  against  Spain  and  the  other  colonies 
of  North  America,  used  the  following  language: 

"Sir: — I  have  heretofore  spoken  in  regard  to  the  interests 
of  our  province.  I  must  do  it  also  in  regard  to  any  point 
which  touches  the  general  weal.  So  it  is  forestated  to  me  by 
my  constituents  in  their  instructions  and  dictated  by  my  own 
conscience.  I  ask  of  Your  Majesty  all  your  gracious  atten- 
tion on  what  I  am  going  to  treat  about.  It  is  nothing  less 
than  the  main  basis  for  the  pacification  of  the  countries  of 
America  which  are  now  found  in  the  throes  of  revolution. 

"Let  us  speak  frankly:  Neither  our  wise  constitution  nor 
the  resolutions  heretofore  taken  by  Your  Majesty  are  suffi- 
cient to  extinguish  that  tlame.  Nothing,  either,  will  be 
accomplished  by  the  measures  which  your  governing  Vice- 
roys may  take.  Blood  will  continue  to  flow  so  long  as  the 
seeds  of  discontent  are  not  taken  away,  or  the  origin  of  it  is 
eliminated.  Arms  may  succeed  in  imposing  respect,  but 
cannot  smother  the  fire  which  necessity  stirs  up.  Only  a 
decided  measure,  by  doing  justice,  shall  secure  tranquility. 

"The  clans,  sir,  those  descendants  from  Africa,  without 
whom  the  head-promoters  could  not  have  made  any  head-way 


ILLUSTUATEl)    HISTORY    OF    Ni-]W    MEXICO.  35*J 

towards  independence,  and  whom  those  loyal  sons  of  Spain 
could  not  have  faced;  these,  who  are  many,  are  found  without 
any  landed  property,  and  are  now,  without  any  hopes  of  ever 
having  it,  according  to  the  decree  of  Your  Majesty  of  March 
19,  1811.  By  it,  not  even  the  domiciled  inhabitants  can  enter 
into  the  enjoyment  of  what  the  law  grants  other  people's 
lands  for  cultivation." 

Mr.  Pino  continues  commenting,  with  all  the  strength  of 
his  soul  upon  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  people  of  New  Mexico 
up  to  the  point,  when,  rapt  into  ecstasy,  and,  as  though  he 
addressed  the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico  themselves,  he 
gives  full  vent  to  the  sentiments  of  his  heart,  and,  with  tears 
in  his  eyes,  pronounced  in  a  llight  of  sublime  eloquence,  the 
following  words:  "Unhappy  beings,  victims  of  the  caprice  of 
men!  You  are  not  allowed  to  congregate,  nor  to  form  a  society 
anywhere!" 

"You  are  compelled  to  live  in  the  forests,  like  the  wild 
beasts — yes,  as  the  tenants  of  powerful  landed  lords!  You 
are  despoiled  and  expelled  at  will  from  place  to  place  as 
though  you  were  strangers,  and  this, — your  native  land!  If 
you  attempt  to  domicile  with  others,  you  are  excluded  by  a 
decree  of  the  Sovereign  Congress  for  the  partition  of  lands! 
Where  will  you  miserable  creatures  go  to  put  up  your 
dwellingV 

Mr.  Pino's  patriotic  harangue  was  nothing  more  than  the 
last  appeal  of  a  people  which,  for  more  than  a  hundred  years, 
had  been  suffering  anguish,  famine  and  criminal  abandon- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  crown  which  had  converted  the 
inhabitants  of  New  Mexico,  into  a  province  of  wretches,  who 
without  any  other  blame  than  that  of  having  peopled  these 
unknown  regions,  and  of  having  defended  them  with  their 
blood  in  order  thus  to  expand  more  and  more  the  glories  of 
Spain,  had  been  held  in  cruel  neglect  and  reduced  to  a  state 
of  semi-barbarism  from  which  their  only  hope  depended  on 
the  consummation  of  the  independence  of  Mexico,  in  which 
they  were  also  entirely  deceived;  for  when  the  independence 
of  Mexico  became  consummated  in  1821,  the  troubles  and 
sufferings  of  the  sons  of  New  Mexico  increased  without  they 
coming  to  enjoy  any  rest,  protection  and  real  civilization 
until  the  year  1846,  in  which  Providence  decreed  the  change 


360  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  governments  which  placed  New  Mexiiio  under  the  aegis 
of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  the  "greatest  and 
most  powerful  (as  General  Palacio  said,  post)  of  all  the  gov- 
ernments under  the  sun,'"  New  Mexico  entering  from  that 
date  into  the  enjoyment  of  real  peace  and  into  the  advance- 
ment and  development  of  its  riches.  Here  this  chapter  closes, 
and  with  it,  our  references  to  Governor  Manrique.  In  the 
next,  we  shall  treat  of  the  stirring  events  which  took  place  in 
New  Mexico  from  1814  to  1840. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Names  of  Governors  Continued  End  of  the  Spanish  Government  and 
Beginning  of  the  Mexican  Government -Two  Colleges  are  Estab- 
lished—  First  Provincial  Deputation — Visit  of  the  Bishop  from 
Durango  -  The  First  Newspaper  Bent's  Fort — Governor  Perez 
Enters  Chimayo  Revolution-  Death  of  Governor  Perez  and 
Other  Officials  Revolutionary  Government  —Patriotism  of  Armijo 
and  Other  Citizens — Death  of  the  Insurrectionary  Chiefs—  Triumph 
of  Law  and  Justice-Other  Incidents — Armijo  Assumes  Com- 
mand of  Forces — The  Insurgents  Surrender — Arrest  of  Their 
Chiefs — A  Seditious  Individual  is  Left  at  Santa  Cruz— Issues  a 
Proclamation  of  Insurrection  —  Claims  of  American   Merchants. 

List  of  Governors   1815-1846. 

From  1815  to  1840  there  were  the  following  governors: 
Mainez,  to  1817;  Pedro  Maria  Allande,  to  1818;  Facundo 
Melgares,  (the  last  under  Spanish  regime)  to  1822;  Francisco 
Xavier  Chavez,  from  1822  to  1823  (first  governor  and  political 
chief  under  the  Mexican  Government),  with  Antonio  Vis- 
csivra,  ad  wterim,  for  only  a  few  months  in  1822.  In  1823, 
Antonio  Viscarra;  Bartolome  Baca  to  1825;  Antonio  Narbona, 
to  1827;  Jos6  Antonio  Chavez,  from  1828  to  1831;  Santiago 
Abreu  from  1831,  to  1833;  Francisco  Sarracino,  with  Juan 
Rafael  Ortiz,  ad  interim,  and  Mariano  Chavez,  ad  interim, 
to  1836;  in  1837,  Don  Albino  Perez;  from  1837  to  1838, 
Pedro  Muiioz,  ad  interim,  and  Jose  Gonzales,  Revolutionary 
Governor.  From  1838  to  1840,  Manuel  Armijo,  with  Mariano 
Martinez  de  Le  Janza  (ad  interim,  from  1844  to  1845),  Jos6 
Chdvez,  (ad  interim,  in  1845)  and  Juan  Bautista  Vigil,  ad 
interim,  for  a  few  days  in  184(3.  That  is,  Don  Manuel  Armijo 
was  the  Governor,  dejacto  et  de  jure,  from  1838  to  1846,  with 
the  exception  of  the  intervals  in  which  Martinez,  Chdvez,  and 
Vigil  acted  ad  interim,  as  aforesaid. 

During  the  administrations  of  Mainez,  Allande,  and  Mel- 
gares, the  last  three  under  the  Government  of  Spain,  nothing 


iiijo,  New  Moxieo's  lust  Gove 
Mcxiciin  Authority. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  363 

of  public  interest  is  recorded  in  history,  and  for  that  reason, 
and  for  tlie  further  reason  of  Mexico  having  become  an 
Empire  in  1S21,  we  commence  the  next  paragraph  with  a 
new  governor  under  a  new  government. 

End  of  the  Spanish,  and  Commencement  of  the  Mexican  Government. 
With  the  inauguration  of  Governor  Francisco  Xavier 
Chdvez,  in  the  year  1822,  the  domination  of  the  Spanish 
government  forever  ended  in  New  Mexico,  and  the  Mexican 
government  started,  not  as  a  repubhcan  government,  but 
rather  as  an  imperial  government  with  Don  Agustin  de  Itur- 
bideas  first  Emperor  who  had  already  been  crowned,  as  such, 
in  Mexico,  on  March  4th,  1821,  which  government  lasted  until 
the  year  1824,  in  which  the  empire  was  turned  into  a  repubhc, 
with  the  elections  of  Generals  Guadalupe  Victoria,  and 
Nicolas  Bravo  as  President  and  Vice-President,  respectively. 
The  only  thing  that  happened  between  1822  and  1823,  was,  as 
we  have  said,  the  change  of  government  with  amplification  of 
powers  to  the  governor  who  immediately  could  act  as  gov- 
ernor and  political  chief,  and  the  fact  of  the  first  Mexican 
Congress  having  decreed,  or  rather,  ratitied  the  decree  of 
the  Spanish  Congress  of  a  previous  date  establishing  a 
Bishopric  in  New  Mexico,  a  decree  which,  without  the  cause 
of  its  failure  having  ever  been  known,  was  never  carried  into 
execution. 

New  Mexico  With  Chihuahua  and  Durango  are  Consolidated  Into  One 
State — Territorial  Form  of  Government  is  Established — Estab- 
lishment of  Two  Colleges — Fr.  Fernandez  Comes  as  Vicar  General. 

In  January  1824,  the  governor  being  Don  Bartolome  Baca, 
the  Mexican  Congress  consolidated  the  provinces  of  Chi- 
huahua, Durango,  and  New  Mexico  into  a  whole  entity  giving 
it  the  name  of  "Estado  Interino  del  Norte."  That  decree, 
however,  was  of  no  use  because  of  the  protest  of  Durango, 
from  which  sprung  as  a  result  of  the  protest,  the  organiza- 
tion of  New  Mexico  as  a  Territory.  In  1825,  while  D. 
Antonio  Narbona  was  governor,  New  Mexico  was  visited  by 
the  celebrated  preacher  Father  Agustin  Fernandez,  who  had 
before,  in  1822,  visited  the  Californias,  as  inspector  sent 
thither  by  Emperor  Ituvbide,  settling  in  New    Mexico    as 


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KiK--siiiiiU'  of  l.lt.i-  from  (it'iiernl  Miiiuu'l  Armijo  to  isrmiu.l  Alv 
li'tter  Armijo  iidmits  thiit  he  was  ii  i-owiird     (St'<'  t  nuisliition  post.) 


ILLUSTRATKD    HISTORY    OF    NICW    MEXICO.  365- 

Vicar  General  of  the  Territory.  In  the  year  1826  tho  said 
Vicar  estabhshed  in  Santa  F6  a  pubhc  school  and  college, 
and  Father  Martinez,  another  school  and  college  in  the  town 
of  Taos,  those  two  schools  and  colleges  being  the  first  seats 
of  learning,  deserving  the  name  of  schools,  that  were  estab- 
lished in  New  Mexico  with  the  exception  of  the  ones  the 
Franciscan  fathers  had  already  established  in  the  missions, 
as  we  have  already  seen.  In  the  same  year  a  decree  from 
the  Sovereign  Government  arrived  in  Santa  Fe  in  which, 
those  who  had  been  convicted  and  sentenced  as  thieves,  were 
forbidden  to  enter  the  army,  which  decree  both  on  account 
of  being  the  first  that  reached  New  Mexico  under  the 
Mexican  Government  as  well  as  on  account  of  its  singular 
provisions  is  herewith  given  in  tact.  The  decree  follows: 
"Department  of  War  and  Marine  Section  5.  His  Excellency, 
The  President  of  the  United  Mexican  States  has  been  pleased 
to  address  to  me  the  following  decree: 

"The  President  of  the  United  Mexican  States  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  Republic,  know  ye:  That  the  general  Congress 
has  decreed  the  following: 

"No  one  who  has  been  convicted  and  sentenced  as  a  thief, 
shall  be  applied  to  for  the  service  of  arms  during  the  time 
of  his  sentence.  Pedro  Paredes,  President  of  the  Senate. 
Bernardo  Gonzales  Perez  de  Angulo,  President  of  the  House 
of  Deputies.  Demetrio  del  Castillo,  Senator  and  Clerk. 
Joaquin  Miguel  Gutierrez,  Deputy  Clerk. 

"Therefore  I  command  it  to  be  printed,  circulated  and 
given  due  compliance.  Palace  of  the  Federal  Government  at 
Mexico,  May  20th,  1826.  Guadalupe  Victoria,  A.  D.,  Manuel 
G6mez  Pedraza. 

"I  communicate  it  to  you  for  your  intelligence  and  conse- 
quent effects. 

'  God  and  Liberty,  Mexico,  May  20th,  1826.     G.  Pedrfza. 

"And  I  insert  it  in  the  sequel  for  its  publication  and  com- 
pliance, giving  me  advice  of  its  receipt. 

"God  guard  you  for  many  years.  Santa  Fe,  July  18,  1826. 
A.  Narbona  (Seal). 

"The  first  appointed  constitutional  Alcalde  of  this  city." 

Don  Manuel  Arm i jo  first  commenced  to  govern  towards 
the  close  of  1827  and   governed  to  the  year  1828,   wiien  he 


366  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

was  succeeded  by  Don  Antonio  Viscarra,  acting  ad. interim, 
who  governed  to  the  close  of  that  year,  coming  next  as.  gov- 
ernor Don  Jose  Antonio  Chdvez,  who  governed  to  the  begin- 
ning of  1831. 

Other  Foreigners  Gome  In — The  "Real  de  Dolores"  is  Discovered. 

From  the  year  1822  to  the  year  1827,  the  following  named 
foreigners  came  into  New  Mexico:  Charles  Roubidoux  and 
Baubien,  who  were  followed  afterwards  by  Lucien  B.  Max- 
well, Joseph  Clouthier,  Frederick  Muller,  Ceran  St.  Brain, 
Kit  Carson,  Charles  Bent  and  others,  all  of  them  settling  at 
Taos,  during  the  administrations  of  Governors  Bartolome 
Baca,  Antonio  Narbona,  Manu^  Armijo  and  Antonio  Vis- 
carra, thus  increasing  the  number  of  North  Americans  in 
New  Mexico.  The  year  following  (1828)  Don  Ignacio  Cano 
discovered  the  mineral  called  "Real  de  Dolores"  and  after- 
wards obtained,  in  company  of  Antonio  Ortiz,  a  grant  cover- 
ing several  square  miles  of  mineral  land  known  as  "the 
Ortiz  Mine  Grant."' 

History  oi  the  "Provincial  Dipulacion" — First  Public  School  Law — 
Appointment  of  the  First  Gefe  Politico — Bishop  of  Durango  Visits 
New  Mexico —  First  Newspaper — Bent's  Fort. 

The  first  session  of  the  first  "Diputacion  Provincial" 
(Provincial  Deputation)  held  in  Santa  Fe  under  the  Imperial 
Government  of  Emperor  Iturbide,  April  15,  1822,  was  pre- 
sided by  Acting  Governor  Facundo  Melgares  (the  last  of 
Spain's  governors  in  New  Mexico),  with  Juan  Bautista  Vigil, 
member,  as  secretary.  As  to  who  constituted  the  full  mem- 
bership of  the  Assembly  the  journal  of  said  Assembly  (No. 
1,  p.  8)  is  silent,  as  it  is  also  regarding  the  time  and  manner  of 
the  election  of  said  members,  but  Chavez,  Gallegos  and  Pino 
are  mentioned  as  members  of  a  committee.  At  the  session  of 
April  27,  1822,  (Journal  No.  3),  Melgares  still  presided  with 
Vigil  as  secretaiy,  and  Messrs.  Ortiz  and  Martin,  or  Martinez, 
are  mentioned  as  members  of  a  committee.  It  was  at  this 
session  that  the  first  public  school  law  was  passed  (vide  Chap, 
on  Education,  post). 


ILLUSTliATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  8()< 

Don   Francisco  Xavier  Appointed  First  Gefe  Politico — Melgares   First 
Military  Governor. 

It  was  at  that  session  of  the  "Diputacion  Provincial'"  that 
the  formal  announcement  was  made  of  the  appointment 
of  Don  Francisco  Xavier  as  Gefe  Politico  of  the  province,  and 
of  the  Acting  Governor  Pacundo  Melgares  as  Military  Gov- 
ernor. The  official  proceedings  of  that  date  (Journal  No.  17, 
page  13,  now  in  the  office  of  the  Surveyor  General  of  New 
Mexico),  show  that  on  the  day  stated  "the  Acting  Civil  and 
Military  Governor  Facundo  Melgares  presented  to  the  assem- 
bly the  presidential  order  appointing  Don  Francisco  Xavier 
as  Gefe  Politico  and  said  Acting  Governor  as  Military  Gov- 
ernor of  tlie  Province  of  New  Mexico."  *The  next  session  of 
the  "Diputacion"  in  said  year  of  1822,  was  presided  by  Gov- 
ernor Xavier,  in  August,  and  in  December  by  the  Military 
Governor.  At  its  session  of  August,  1822,  the  Assembly 
received  an  official  report  from  Don  Lorenzo  Gutierrez, 
Deputy  from  New  Mexico  to  the  "Diputacion"  of  Durango, 
giving  an  account  of  his  services.  At  the  session  of  December 
17,  1823,  an  official  communication  from  Don  Rafael  Alarid, 
New  Mexico's  Deputy  to  the  National  Congress  is  presented, 
but  the  journal  in  this  case,  as  in  the  case  of  Deputy  Lorenzo 
Gutierrez,  is  silent  regarding  the  contents  of  said  communi- 
cations or  reports.  (Journals  of  December  17  and  December 
20,  1823.  In  New  Mexico  Surveyor  General's  Office).  At  the 
said  session  of  December  20,  1823,  supra,  two  claims  were 
presented  by  Francisco  Perez  y  Aguirre  and  Francisco  Rivas, 
respectively,  for  services  as  "Representatives  from  the  Pro- 
vince of  New  Mexico,"  but  the  journal,  as  in  the  other  cases 
cited,  fails  to  show  the  amounts  claimed  nor  the  date,  place 
and  kind  of  services  rendered. 

*  In  ray  "Historia  Ihistrada  de  Nuevo  Mexico'"  at  paoe  2;}(),  it 
appears  that  the  first  Assembly  or  "'Diputacion  Pi-ovinciaT'  met  in 
Santa  Fe  in  tlie  year  1831,  and  was  presided  by  Father  Martinez.  That 
is  an  error,  or  rather  a  mistake,  which  was  not  noticed  until  after  it 
was  too  late  for  correction.  One  whole  paragraph  was  omitted  inad- 
vertenth .— Thk  Aitthok. 


368  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Bishop's  Visit  lo  New  Mexico. 
In  the  year  of  1833,  His  Most  Illustrious  Lordship  Don 
Antonio  Zubiria,  Bishop  of  Durango,  made  an  extended  visit  to 
all  the  parishes  of  New  Mexico,  finding  nearly  all  the  temples 
in  complete  destitution  of  ornaments  for  the  celebration  of 
the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  mass.*  Two  years  before,  in  1829, 
Charles  Bent  and  one  of  his  brothers  had  built  on  the  Napeste 
River  a  fortress  which  has  come  to  be  known  in  history  by 
the  name  of  "Benfs  Fort."' 

The  First  Newspaper,  El  Grepiisculo. 
In  the  year  of  1835  a  step  of  great  im^portance  was  taken  in 
New  Mexico  for  it  was  then  that  the  first  move  of  real  pro- 
gress was  made,  that  date  adorns  by  far,  more  the  pages  of  the 
history  of  that  epoch,  because  of  Father  Antonio  Jose  Marti- 
nez's foresight  in  realizing  the  great  power  of  the  press  to  dif- 
fuse civilization,  to  destroy  ignorance,  by  making  itself  the 
voice  bearer  of  the  ideas  which  implant  the  spirit  of  true 
liberty  and  civism  in  the  inhabitants  of  a  nation,  establishing 
at  very  great  expense  and  untold  sacrifices,  the  first  printing 
press  in  New  Mexico  and  publishing,  at  Taos,  the  first  news- 
paper, under  the  name  of  "ElCrepiisculo'"  (The  Dawn).  On 
this  press  Father  Martinez  printed  books  for  his  school  as  well 
as  books  of  devotion.  He  published,  also  a  memorial  to  the 
Mexican  Government,  in  pamphlet  form,  reference  to  which 
is  made  in  another  part  of  this  work,  which  he  sent  to  the 
President  of  Mexico,  General  Antonio  Lopez  Santa  Anna.f 

New  Mexico  Made  Department — Territory  Abolished — Governor  Albino 
Perez — Successor   of  Chavez   and   Sarracino — His  Inaugural  Ad- 
dress—  Chavez   and  Sarracino  Covern  Again — Act  at  Intervals — 
The  Chimayo  Insurrection — Death  of  Governor  Perez  and  Other 
Officials — Revolutionary  Government— Patriotism   of  Armijo  and 
Others — Death   of  the  Insurgent   Chiefs — Triumph  of  Law  and 
Justice — Other    Incidents  —American     Merchants    Make   Claims 
Before    the    Mexican    Government   for   Damages  Caused   by  the 
Insurrectos. 
Governor  Albino  P^rez  came  to  New  Mexico  direct  from 
Mexico  in  the  month  of  April,  1835,  and  at  once  entered  into 
*  Sal  pointer     Soldiers  of  the  Cross, 
t  The  Author  of  this  work  has  this  Memoi-ial. 


ILLUSTKATHD    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MKXICO.  369 

the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  Gefe  Politico  and  commanding 
military  officer  of  New  Mexico.  On  the  *20th  day  of  June,  of 
the  same  year  he  made  his  inaugural  address  in  the  city  of 
Santa  Fe.  *He  was  a  Colonel  in  the  regular  army  of  Mexico, 
prior  to  his  coming  to  New  Mexico,  and  had  distinguished 
himself  as  a  military  officer  during  his  long  service  in  the 
Mexican  Army.  That  Governor  Perez  had  already  received 
a  very  favorable  impression  regarding  the  patriotism  and 
noble  qualities  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico,  as  well  as  of 
the  promising  appearance  of  the  country  at  large,  and  that 
he  was  entertaining  the  hope  that  the  new  constitution, 
which  had  just  been  adopted  by  Mexico  was  to  be  much 
more  beneticial  to  New  Mexico  than  the  former  system  of 
government  is  shown  in  his  address.  Regarding  the 
patriotism  and  loyalty  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico  he  said 
at  the  opening  of  his  address. 

"Fellow  Citizens:  A  number  of  extraordinary  circum- 
stances come  to  my  assistance  and  furnish  me  with  the' 
most  pleasant  data  to  address  you  for  the  first  time.  It 
is  today  just  sixty-four  days  that  I  have  the  honor  of 
being  your  governor,  and  already  have  a  thousand  proofs 
of  your  peaceful  habits  and  of  your  love  for  order, 
of  your  obedience  to  justice  and  of  the  full  complement 
which  you  possess  of  all  the  civic  and  moral  virtues  with 
which  the  eternal  God  has  seen  fit  to  endow  you  in  the 
enjoyment  of  this  majestic  retirement  of  your  peaceful 
and  quiet  lives. '" 

How  little  did  the  noble  man  know%  or  even  imagine  that 
before  18  months  had  expired,  from  that  date,  some  of  the 
very  people  he  was  praising  were  to  assassinate  him  in  the 
most  cowardly  manner.     Yet  his   very  efforts  to  enforce  the 

*The  original  of  this  historical  address  is  in  the  hands  of  Don 
Demetrio  P^rez  of  Las  Vegas,  who  is  the  only  surviving  son  of  Gov. 
Perez.  Don  Demetrio  was  about  ten  years  of  age  when  he  came  with 
his  father,  was  present  when  his  father  delivered  his  said  address,  and 
it  is  due  to  him  that  I  have  been  able  to  obtain  a  copy  of  the  precious 
document  which  was  published  in  La  Voz  del  Pueblo  of  Las  Vegas,  in 
1S91,  from  which  paper  Hon.  Antonio  Lucero,  Secretary  of  the  State 
of  New  Me.xico,  kindly  furnished  mewith  a  copy  taken  by  himself,  on 
the  30th  dav  of  December  IDIL— The  Author. 


370  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

provisions  of  the  new  constitution  for  the  betterment  of  the 
people's  sad  situation  were  being  misconstrued  and  used  as 
the  mainstay  of  the  rebellion  which  we  are  now  to  describe. 
Referring  to  the  triumph  of  the  National  Government  over 
its  enemies,  and  to  the  retroactive  salutary  effects  which  the 
whole  country  was  anticipating  from  the  workings  of  the 
new  Constitution,  Governor  Perez  said: 

"In  rejoicing  over  the  triumph  of  the  Supreme  Gen- 
eral Government,  the  approval  of  the  Constitution,  the 
triumph  of  order  and  the  establishment  of  your  social 
liberties,  I  want  to  emphasize  my  words.  To  be  sure  it 
has  been  a  long  time  since  the  enemies  of  the  public 
peace  have  been  endeavoring,  with  all  their  might,  to 
raise  the  standard  of  rebellion,  without  which  they  can- 
not get  along,  it  seems;  to  those  who  have  not  looked 
upon  the  actual  conditions  of  things  with  indifference,  it 
must  be  apparent  how  persistently,  how  scandalously 
they  have  been  making  preparations  to  overthrow  a  truly 
paternal  government,  a  government  that  has  been  so 
zealous  of  Mexican  blood." 

The  Governor  in  thus  referring  to  the  enemies  of  the  law- 
fully established  government  was  uttering  a  prophesy  of 
what  these  very  seditious  elements  were  planning,  under 
his  very  presence,  some  of  those  he  considered  his  best  and 
most  loyal  friends  being  among  the  principal  agitators,  to 
overthrow  his  government,  and  to  behead  him  and,  thus,  to 
stain  their  hands  with  his  innocent  blood. 

Change  of  Government. 
P6rez  succeeded  Governors  Sarracino  and  Chavez.  The 
people  of  New  Mexico  were  in  extreme  misery  and  in  gen- 
eral discontent  on  account  of  the  abolition  the  year  before 
(1834)  of  the  territorial  form  of  government  and  the  organi- 
zation of  a  new  departmental  government,  as  well  as  on 
account,  according  to  the  documents  of  the  revolutionists,  of 
the  bad  administration  of  Governor  Sarracino,  w4io  had  so 
far  forgotten  his  duties  in  protecting  the  inhabitants,  that 
the  latter  did  not  now  even  plant  their  lands  on  account  of 
the  imminent  peril  to  which  they  exposed  themselves:  for 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  371 

the  savage  Indians,  the  Navajoes,  Yutas,  and  Apaches  made 
their  incursions  daily,  kilhng  many  of  the  settlers,  stealing 
their  stock  and,  in  many  cases,  even  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren, the  situation  reaching  to  a  point  that  many  of  the 
prudent  citizens  applied  to  Sarracino  for  authority  to  leave 
for  California,  a  thing  that  was  also  denied  them.  From  a 
document  of  that  date  which  is  in  the  hands  of  the  author  (it 
is  the  property  of  Don  Eusebio  Chacon)  what  follows  is 
drawn  out: 

"Such  was  the  state  of  New  Mexico  when  it  was  learned 
that  Col.  Don  Albino  Perez  was  coming  as  governor.  On 
announcing  him  as  such,  the  supreme  government  gave  dis- 
tinguished recommendations  of  iiis  character.  This  announce- 
ment inspired  the  hope  of  an  amelioration  of  conditions,  both 
because  his  talent  and  experiences  made  him  feared,  as 
because  the  influence  of  his  elevated  rank  and  official  rela- 
tions in  the  capital  of  the  republic  would,  it  was  thought, 
enable  him  to  obtain  from  the  supreme  government  the  help 
which  New  Mexico  needed  so  imperatively.  The  arrival  of 
Mr.  Perez  at  Santa  Fe  strengthened  the  idea  which  had  been 
formed  of  him  at  the  announcement  of  his  coming.  His 
personal  presence,  the  relations  which  his  committee  and 
the  gentlemen  who  had  access  to  him  made  of  the  great 
services  he  had  rendered  to  his  country,  the  warlike  actions 
in  which  he  had  been  distinguished,  the  plans  he  had  already 
formed  to  set  on  foot  the  troop  of  the  territory,  and  to  pro- 
cure for  it  the  necessaries  for  its  support,  and  to  annihilate 
the  Navajoe  Indians  who,  at  this  time,  were  perpetually  har- 
rassing  the  inhabitants,  made  the  generality  of  the  people 
form  a  very  promising  opinion  of  him.  Replaced,  in  fact,  the 
troop  under  arms,  and  at  the  beginning  made  it  per- 
form the  military  services  with  more  efficiency  and  exact- 
ness than  what  had  been  previously  observed;  he  imparted 
energy  to  the  administration,  and  in  some  instances  of  con- 
tentions gave  proof  of  an  impartial  integrity.  When  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  caravans  (the  only  resources  upon  which  the 
governors  in  New  Mexico  depended  to  maintain  the  troop 
and  the  government— The  Author)  were  exhausted  he 
obtained,  under  his  personal  responsibility  from  the  foreign 
trade,  the  necessary  help  for  the  maintenance  of  the  troop 


372  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

and  emploj^ees  in  the  shape  of  loans  going  as  far  in  this 
pohcy  as  the  means  of  the  loaners  permitted,  but  as  he  could 
not  get  enough  to  continue  the  services  of  the  troop  by  this 
means,  and  as  he  received  nothing  from  Mexico  in  spite  of  his 
repeated  demands,  he  addressed  himself  to  the  natives  of  the 
country,  who,  he  judged,  might  be  able  to  advance  him  what 
was  needed  through  the  credit  they  had;  whereupon  he  was, 
since  then,  observed  to  visit  more  frequently  the  houses  of 
certain  gentlemen  who,  without  heeding  his  pretensions 
about  the  influence  they  had,  attempted  to  use  him  in  favor- 
ing their  plans  for  the  accumulation  of  wealth,  fostering  law 
suits  and  grudges  which  they  had  among  themselves,  and 
they  made  him  tigure,  in  spite  of  himself,  in  childish  intri- 
gues; whatever  his  opinion  might  be  in  these  particulars, 
he  was  unable  to  keep  within  bounds  all  interested  parties: 
whence  enmities,  intrigues  and  plans  flowed  with  the  object 
of  damaging  themselves  and  damaging  him,  distracting  his 
attentionby  means  of  the  intrigues  and  misrepresentations 
in  which  they  assiduously  engaged.  Lacking  in  means  to 
maintain  the  troop  in  arms  he  was  forced  to  disband  it,  that 
it  might  seek  its  subsistence  the  best  way  it  could,  and  the 
employees  and  officials  were  reduced  to  what  their  individual 
credit  or  the  credit  of  the  governor  could  procure  them, 
which,  however,  was  not  sufficient  co  maintain  their  ranks. 
This  circumstance,  together  with  the  bad  will  of  certain  pri- 
vate persons,  gave  rise  to  recriminations  in  which  they 
reciprocally  imputed  to  one  and  another  the  general  calamity. 
Some  employees  were  charged  with  unfaithfulness  and 
corruption  in  the  management  of  their  duties.  There  were 
suspensions  of  employees,  and  parties  were  designated 
to  assassinate  certain  designated  persons,  and  finally  every- 
thing became  confusion.  The  Navajoe  tribe  was  not,  in  the 
meantime  idle;  it  committed  depredations  of  everykind,  and 
everywhere;  it  captured  great  numbers  of  stock,  carried 
captives  away,  burned  various  persons  alive  in  their  homes, 
and  sent  parties  to  commit  murders  near  Santa  F^,  which 
was  the  jurisdiction  best  guarded  in  all  the  territory.  A 
general  campaign,  it  is  true,  was  made  to  which  the  gov- 
ernor went  in  person,  but  it  was  productive  of  no  better 
effect  than  that  of  loosing  the  best  part  of  the  animals  it 


ILLUSTRATlOl)    IIISTOHY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  37;> 

carried  and  thereby  complete  the  ruin  of  many  unhappy 
farmers.  The  people,  amid  many  misfortunes,  were  seek- 
ing to  find  the  cause  of  their  misadventures;  some  attri- 
buted it  to  the  corruption  and  bad  management  cf  the 
employees  giving  occasion  for  the  charges  which  the  com- 
plainants scattered;  others  to  the  governor,  who,  with  the 
number  of  officials  that  accompanied  him,  consumed  the 
property  of  the  troop  which,  well  directed,  could  defend 
the  territory.  The  most  impartial  persons  considered  then 
that,  in  fact,  the  administration  and  coming  of  Mr.  P^rez  to 
New  Mexico  had  really  been  an  increase  of  all  the  evils, 
both  on  account  of  the  more  rapid  absorption  of  the  scanty 
resources  of  the  country  which  were  eaten  up  in  salaries  and 
expenses  of  his  accompaniment,  as  on  account  of  the  dif- 
ferences and  intrigues  he  tolerated  in  his  administration 
without  producing  any  good  whatsoever  which  resulted  from 
his  qualifications  and  good  foresight.  The  new  constitution 
arriving  at  a  time  when  the  people  were  already  so  depressed 
by  misery  and  had  such  a  bad  opinion  of  the  administration 
seeing  with  disgust  that  they  had  to  pay  contribution  taxes,  * 

*  The  tax  or  revenue  law  referred  to  by  the  last  cited  author  (the 
first  of  its  kind  passed  in  New  Mexico)  was  in  fact  a  somewhat  op- 
pressive measure.  Said  law  had  not  been  found  until  very  recently. 
It  was  found  by  the  Author  of  this  work  after  the  publication  of  the  first 
Spanish  Edition  of  this  History.  All  former  writers  on  New  Mexico 
history  knew  that  such  a  law  had  been  passed  and  referred  to  its  drastic 
provisions,  on  g-eneral  information.  I  had  to  do  the  same  thing- when 
I  wrote  my  said  first  Spanish  edition.  Now  that  said  law  is  in  my  posses- 
sion 1  can  say  that  its  approval  by  Governor  Albino  P^rez  was  one 
of  the  principal,  if  not  the  first,  and  immediate  causes  of  that  revolt, 
which  culminated  in  the  cowardly  assassination  of  Governor  Perez  and 
the  rest  of  the  Territorial  officials.  The  said  law  was  passed  by  the 
City  Council  and  sii;ned  l)y  Governor  Perez  on  the  9th  day  of  June, 
183(i.  It  contains  eleven  sections,  or  subdivisions,  and  it  provides 
that  a  tax  of  two  dollars  shall  be  paid  for  each  vehicle  bring-ing- 
foreig-n  merchandise  into  the  city,  twenty-five  cents  for  each  animal 
employed  by  foreig-n  merchants  in  introducing-  their  merchandise  into 
New  Mexico:  two  dollars  per  head  for  horses  and  mules  brought  for 
sale  into  New  Mexico.  It  fixed  the  license  for  the  cutting-  of  timber  for 
luml)er  at  $5.00  per  month.  Foreig-n  permanent  merchants  had  to  pay 
$2.00  per  month.  For  driving-  herds  of  cattle  or  sheep  through  the 
streets  of  the  capital  the  owner,  before  selling-  said  animals  had  to  pay 
from  twenty  to  twanty-five  cents  pep  head.   For  theaters  and  all  other 


374  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

which  would  have  no  other  inversion  than  to  support  the 
luxury  and  waste  of  a  few  in  Santa  Fe  without  entering  upon 
the  merits  or  demerits  which  the  constitution  might  in  itself 
possess." 

An  election  was  held  in  conformity  with  the  constitution 
from  which  resulted  the  choice  of  Mr.  Ramon  Abreu  as 
prefect  of  the  first  district,  a  choice  which  caused  much 
dis-satisfaction  among  the  enemies  of  Perez  who  did  not 
cease  to  foster  intrigues  against  his  administration,  a  dis-sat- 
isfaction which  reached  its  climax  in  the  formation  of  a 
council  at  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada,  to  which  the  name  of 
"Canton"  was  given,  which  was  composed  of  twelve  mem- 
bers, all  of  them  ignorant  and  depraved  criminals.  In  the 
Canton  a  general  uprising  was  decreed  together  with  the 
death  of  Governor  Perez  and  the  other  officials  and  employees. 
On  the  3rd  day  of  August,  1837,  the  following  plan  or  platform 
was  promulgated  by  the  leaders  of  the  rebellion. 

"Long  live  God  and  the  nation  and  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
for  the  principal  points  we  defend  are  the  following: 

1st.     To  be  with  God  and  the  nation  and  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

2nd.     To  defend  our  country  to  the  shedding  of  our  last 
drop  of  blood  to  obtain  the  victory  sought  after. 

3rd.     Not  to  admit  any  plan  of  department. 

4th.     Not  to  admit  any  taxation. 

5th.  Not  to  admit  the  bad  orders  of  those  who  are  trying 
to  effect  it."'* 
entertainments  $2.00  for  each  performance.  For  each  dance  the  license 
was  fifty  cents.  All  foreigners,  as  well  as  natives  of  New  Mexico  but 
residini^-  outside  of  Santa  F6,  had  to  report  themselves  to  the  Alcalde 
within  three  days  after  their  arrival,  each  one  had  to  state  his  business 
and  occupation  and  on  failure  to  do  so  they  were  to  be  lined  in  the  sum 
of  $10.00  for  each  violation  of  the  law.  The  Justices  of  the  Peace  through 
out  the  Territory  were  charged  with  the  duty  of  making  a  complete 
list  of  all  the  inhabitants  within  their  respective  districts,  and  also  to 
state  the  profession,  employment  or  occupation  of  each  of  said  persons. 
Said  .Justices  were  further  charged  with  the  duty  of  punisliing  all 
drones,  or  idle  persons,  who  could  not  prove  that  they  earned  their 
living  by  lawful  means.  The  Justices  in  case  of  failure  to  comply  with 
the  requirements  of  the  said  law  were  to  be  publicly  censured  and  to 
pay  a  fine  of  five  dollars  besides  forfeiting  their  office— The  Author. 

*The  original  is  in  possession  of  the  author. 


ILLUSTRAJ-ED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  375 

The  malice  of  the  rebels  had  no  limits,  for  they  used  the 
sacred  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  cover  up  with  it  the  atrocity 
of  the  crime  they  were  to  perpetrate,  increasing  their 
wickedness  by  another  crime,  that  of  inducing  the  Pueblo 
Indians  to  make  common  cause  with  them  by  means  of  tricks, 
lies,  and  calumnies,  helping  them  to  inscribe  the  blackest 
page  in  the  history  of  New  Mexico.  Governor  P^rezwas 
informed  of  what  was  going  on  and  was  advised  to  leave  in 
haste  that  he  might  save  his  life,  but  he  believed  at  first  that 
the  rumor  was  nothing  more  than  an  exaggerated  unrest,  and 
contented  himself  with  sending  some  threatening  messages 
and  orders  to  Juan  Jos6  Esquivel,  Alcalde  of 

Battle  of  Santa  Cruz. 

Santa  Cruz,  who  was  the  chief  mover  of  the  revolution,  those 
of  the  Canton  availed  themselves  of  the  apathy  with  which 
the  governor  at  first  viewed  the  beginning  of  the  revolution, 
organized  a  numerous  army  and  determined  upon  the  plan 
of  investing  the  Capital.  Until  then  Perez  did  not  realize 
the  magnitude  of  what  he  had  called  an  "exaggerated 
unrest;"  he  caused  troops  to  be  organized  meeting  a  very 
noticeable  and  marked  indifference  on  the  part  of  a  great 
many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city,  but  he  was  able  finally  to 
gather  200  men,  the  majority  of  them  Indians,  and  started 
with  that  force  for  Santa  Cruz  to  chastise  the  rebels.  Near 
the  mesa  of  Santa  Cruz  he  met  the  rebel  army  with  which  he 
attempted  to  enter  into  negotiations  demanding  the  reason 
of  their  discontent,  but  the  rebels  answered  him  with  a  dis- 
charge of  their  arms  to  which  he  was  not  able  to  respond 
instantly  because  of  the  confusion  that  ensued  among  his 
men  from  so  unexpected  and  cowardly  a  blow,  causing  a 
great  number  of  his  men  and  Indians  to  go  over  to  the  rebels. 
The  assault  became  general  upon  the  governor  and  the 
handful  of  citizens  who  remained  loyal  to  the  government. 
They  answ^ered  the  fire  with  a  piece  of  artillery  but  without 
making  any  impression  on  the  lines  of  the  rebels  who  then 
charged  upon  the  governor  and  his  forces  killing  7  men  and 
capturing  all  the  wounded  which  were  many. 

The  governor,  with  23  individuals,  escaped  to  Santa  Pe  in 


376  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

honorable  retreat,  from  which  city  he  left  the  same  night 
with  some  of  his  employees  only  to  be  assassinated  the  next 
day  in  the  most  vile  and  cowardly  manner.  This  occurrence 
took  place  on  the  8th  of  August,  in  the  night.  The  next  day, 
the  9th,  the  "Canton,"  or  the  revolutionary  forces,  arrived  at 
the  capital,  taking,  immediately,  possession  of  the  govern- 
ment. On  the  same  day  Governor  Perez  was  assassinated  at 
about  a  mile  west  of  the  town,  together  with  some  others  of 
his  employees  whose  names  are  mentioned  in  the  sequel. 
We  shall  now  leave  the  author  of  the  document,  from  which 
we  drew  this  account,  who  was  an  ocular  witness  at  the  time, 
to  relate  in  his  own  words  the  horrifying  scene  which  capped 
this  bloody  episode.     The  said  author  follows: 

Death  of  Governor  Perez  and  Other  Officials. 

"The  Lord  Governor  travelled  down  the  river  until  he  met 
a  force  of  militia  men  commanded  by  D.  A  Antonito  Chdvez, 
who  denied  him  the  protection  he  demanded,  whereupon 
returning  from  thence  to  Santa  Fe,  he  was  killed  by  the 
Indians  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city  and  his  head  taken  to  the 
encampment,  was  exposed  to  the  scorn  of  the  unnatural  crim- 
inals;  Don  Ramon  Abreu,  Don  Mariano  Abreu,  Don  J.  M. 
Alarid,  who  had  surrendered  as  prisoners,  were  led  to  the 
encampment,  but  as  soon  as  the  savage  and  sanguinary  Can- 
ton heard  of  it,  fearing  that  some  circumstance  might  pre- 
serve their  lives,  gave  immediate  orders  for  the  instant  kill- 
ing of  them  all.  Don  Santiago  Abreu,  and  his  secretary, 
Saens,  were  killed  the  next  day  at  Santo  Domingo.  The 
indolence  and  pusilanimity  of  the  authorities  at  Santa  Pe 
was  such  that,  by  an  order  of  a  detachment  of  the  Canton 
they  searched  for  Lieutenant  Colonel  Don  Manuel  Aponte, 
who  was  hiding  in  a  private  house  badly  wounded,  and  they 
delivered  him  up,  though  they  knew  well  that  it  was  for  the 
purpose  of  killing  him,  which  the^'^  did.  The  people  and 
particularly  the  disarmed  soldiers  who  witnessed  this  deliv- 
ery, abashed  already  by  the  situation  in  which  they  had  been 
placed,  could  scarcely  dissemble  the  indignation  which  the 
act  produced  in  them,  knowing,  as  they  did,  that  no  etfort 
was  made  to  elude  the  delivery  or  save  the  honor  of  the  city. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOHV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  H7V 

Election  of  Jose  Gonzales  as   Governor. 

On  the  10th,  after  the  election  for  governor  was  had  which 
fell  upon  Jos6  Gonzales,  the  rebel  governor  entered  Santa 
F^,  and  his  first  act  whs  to  divide  up  among  those  he  thought 
well-deserving,  of  his  faction,  whatever  was  thought  to 
belong  to  the  parties  whom  they  had  just  murdered;  they 
received  jewels  as  creditors  to  the  dead  governor,  when  it 
was  a  matter  of  public  notoriety  that  the  recipients  never 
had  had  any  account  or  transactions  with  the  dead  governor. 
One  of  the  rebels  who  had  distinguished  himself  by  outrag- 
ing the  head  of  Mr.  Perez,  at  the  encampment  had  the  brutal 
insolence  to  don  the  dollman  which  Mr.  P6rez  had  on  when 
they  killed  him,  trying  to  make  himself  conspicuous  in  show- 
ing the  hole  of  the  bullet  which  had  killed  him  and  cracking 
stings  away  at  those  whom  he  thought  had  been  his  friends 
{Mr.  Perez's)."' 

It  may  be  weW  imagined,  but  it  cannot  be  described  into 
what  a  sombre  aspect  the  city  was  cast  by  the  savagery 
displayed  by  those  human  beasts  who  at  such  moments  were 
turned  into  incarnate  demons.  The  Canton  and  its  new 
governor,  not  content  with  having  satiated  their  criminal 
ambition  by  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood,  proposed  to 
continue  their  campaign  of  murder  and  theft  in  that  part  of 
the  territory  which  they  called  theRio  Abajo(LowerCountry). 
The  said  Canton  and  their  governor  issued,  therefore,  an 
edict  whereby  they  made  their  determination  clear  of  con- 
tinuing to  kilt  and  steal  from  those  who  would  not  submit  to 
theobedienceof  the  seditious.  That  edict  had  two  results;  one 
in  which  it  was  decided  upon  a  meeting  of  patriots  at  Tom4 
to  organize  with  the  view  to  restore  order  and  punish  the 
insurgents  and  their  factions  constituting  the  opposite 
party,  for  the  government  of  the  seditious  had  been  divided  in 
two  factions,  one  of  them  favoring  the  views  of  the  governor 
which,  although  criminal,  were  not  wanting  in  tendencies  to- 
wards the  establishment  and  restoration  of  good  order. 

The  Rebellious  Government  is  Divided — Partition  of  the  Spoils. 
Let  us  now  hear  the  original  narrator  as  he  gives  us  in 
detailed  words  the  picture  of  what  is  meant  by  the  heading 
which  precedes  this  paragraph: 


378  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

"Santa  Fe  and  most  of  New  Mexico  were  since  that  day 
in  confusion  and  dread  witliout  any  other  law  than  the  will  of 
the  new  governor  and  that  of  the  Canton,  which,  in  spite 
of  having  established,  what  they  called,  a  "government," 
contrary  to  the  will  of  the  people,  would  not  dissolve, 
but  continued  taking  revolutionary  measures,  sometimes 
even  contrary  to  those  of  Gonzales,  persecuting  and 
threatening  with  death  those  who  had  opposed  the  rebeUion, 
and  those  who,  they  thought,  did  not  approve  their  views. 
They  had  the  jail  at  Canada  full  of  innocent  persons,  and 
still  they  summoned  to  their  tribunal  an  unlimited  number 
of  individuals  upon  whom  they  wished  to  vent  their  hatred. 
On  August  27th,  Gonzales,  or  rather  his  faction,  made  a  for- 
mal partition  of  all  the  property  it  could  gather  from  the 
houses  of  their  victims,  inflicting  thus  a  great  damage  to 
their  families  and  creditors.  Public  spirit  was  again  assert- 
ing itself  in  haste,  until  on  the  7th  of  September,  the  citizens 
animated  by  the  same  sentiments  that  prompted  the  soldiers, 
demanded  arms  and  offered  their  service,  even  without  pay, 
in  order  to  prevent,  as  they  expressed  it,  another  insult 
similar  to  the  one  proffered  them  by  the  Canton  in  the  killing 
of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Aponte,  and  from  that  day  on  they 
drilled  every  morning  and  evening.  A  few  days  later  the 
news  reached  Santa  Pe  of  the  "Pronunciamiento"  at  Tom6 
which  was  due  to  the  patriotism  and  talent  actively  displayed 
by  the  gentlemen  who  signed  it."' 

True    Patriotism    Burns   in    the  Hearts    of    a  few     Patriots — Counter 
Pronunciamiento  of  Tome — Organization  of  a  Government   Based 
on    the   Exigency — Don   Manuel  Armijo  Proclaimed  Hero  of  the 
Occasion^ — Patriotic  Proclamation- 
Patriotic  citizens   meet  at  Tom6.     The  Prefect  at  Albur- 
querque  was  proclaimed  the  only  lawful  civil  authority,  and 
Don    Manuel    Armijo  was  appointed    and  designated  com- 
mander   of    the  liberating  forces,  and  to  the  citizen,    Don 
Mariano    Chdvez,  was  assigned  the    post  of   second  in  the 
command.     The   "shout"  covered  its  initiators  with  glory; 
they  were  real  patriots.     We  give  their  words  in  the  sequel: 
''Pronouncement  at   Tome  on  the  Sthday  oj Sejytember  1S37  bij 


ILLUSTKATEU    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  879" 

t?ie  citizens — lovers  oj  their  country  in  favor  oj  the  Constitution 
and  laivs;  and  they  are  those  hereto  subscribed:'' 

Ln  the  town  of  Tom6  on  the  8th  day  in  the  year  1837,  the 
neighbors  of  said  point,  and  those  of  Santa  Maria  of  Belen, 
being  assembled,  with  their  respective  alcaldes,  the  parish 
priest  of  Tomt*^,  the  lieutenant  of  the  active  militia,  the 
honored  citizen  Don  Manuel  Armijo,  from  the  jurisdiction  of 
Alburquerque,  fearing  the  disorders  resulting  from  the  anar- 
chy, in  which  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  was  plunged,  by 
the  deaths  intiicted  on  the  persons  of  the  governor  and  other 
public  officials,  and  being  aware  of  the  iniquitous  measures 
which  the  so-called  "Canton  of  la  Caiiada"  is  taking  for  the 
destruction  of  the  peace,  harmony  and  good  order  of  the 
citizens,  and  we  being  desirous  to  submit  ourselves  to  the 
laws,  and  to  keep  within  bounds  the  insults  with  which  at 
every  step  we  are  threatened  with  as  well  as  protecting  our 
properties,  and  to  make  the  supreme  government  know  the 
good  disposition  and  obedience  which  the  District  of  Albur- 
querque professes  it,  they  have  agreed  on  the  following 
articles: 

1.  Until  the  supreme  government  determines  to  execute 
what  it  may  see  fit  in  this  Territory,  no  other  authority  is 
recognized  but  that  of  the  Prefect  of  the  District  of  Albur- 
querque, the  only  legal  one  remaining. 

2.  No  one*  shall  be  attacked  in  his  property,  or  rights. 

3.  An  armed  forced  will  be  placed  under  the  command  of 
the  citizen  Manuel  Armijo,  whom  we  have  generally  pro- 
claimed as  commandant,  and  as  his  second, the  citizen  Mariano 
Chdvez,  neighbor  of  Los  Padillas,  and  his  secretary,  the 
citizen  Vicente  Sanchez  Vergara. 

4.  If,  after  all  the  forces  are  assembled,  it  is  desired  by 
the  commanding  officer  to  appoint  another  his  will  shall 
be  obeyed  in  everything  the  same  as  it  now  is  being  done. 

5.  It  being  fit  that  the  pueblos  remain  tranquil  and  not 
meddle  in  the  difficulties  of  the  Mexican  citizens,  they  will  be 
informed,  that  the  war  not  being  against  them  nor  directed 
against  any  of  them,  not  to  take  part  in  favor  of  either  party, 
and  that,  until  the  supreme  government  appoints  a  governor, 
they  must  govern  themselves,  without  obeying  any  authority 
which  may  not  How  from  themselves. 


380  ILLCSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

6.  That  the  preceeding  article  may  have  effect,  it  has  been 
made  known  to  three  native  Indians,  that  were  present.from 
the  pueblo  of  Isleta,  all  the  just  causes  that  exist,  and  which 
they  must  manifest  to  their  comrades. 

7.  This  pronouncement  does  not  recognize  the  authority 
which  the  appointed  Canton  placed. 

8.  The  liberating  forces  being  once  assembled,  the  com- 
mander shall  take  the  measures  which  to  him  may  seem 
•convenient  for  the  necessary  expenses  which  may  incurred, 
and  if  he  should  seize  any  private  property,  it  will  be  reinteg- 
rated, a  thing  that  will  be  done  religiously. 

9.  An  extraordinary^  envoy  shall  be  at  once  sent  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  notice  to  the  General  Commandant  at 
■Chihuahua,  and  to  the  supreme  government. 

10.  Anything  that  may  have  been  contributed  by  the 
natives  in  the  shape  of  pension  for  the  commissioners  that 
had  been  appointed  in  Santa  Fe  shall  be  returned  to  them. 

"In  witness  whereof  we  have  signed  this  on  said  day. 
"Tome,  September  8,  1837. 

"Manuel  Armijo.  (Seal). 

"JosK  Salazar.  (Seal). 

"Pablo  Salazar.  (Seal) 

"J.  Franco  Montova.  (Seal). 

"Miguel  Olona.  (Seal). 

"Manuel  Madariaga."'  (Seal). 

The  Rescuing  Army  is  Organized — The  Commanding  General  of  New 
Mexico,  General  Don  Jose  Gaballero  Appeals  to  the  Patriotism  of 
the  Gitizens  Who  Remained  Faithful  to  the  Government  Urging 
the  Organization  of  Troops  to  Smother  the  Rebellion.  Here  Are  His 
Words. 

"Proclamation. 

"Tlie  most  disastrous  revolution  whereb}^  the  furor  of  an 
inhuman  and  unbridled  mob  covered  our  country  with  mourn- 
ing on  the  unfortunate  days  of  the  8th  and  9th  of  August  last 
past,  scattered  dread  and  confusion  among  the  inhabitants, 
who,  accustomed  to  be  succored,  delivered  themselves  up  to 
suffering  and  low  condescension  which,  under  those  circum- 
stances, was  the  only  means  of  calming  the  effervescence  and 


ILLUSTUATED    HISTOKV    OF    NKW    MKXICO.  381 

misfortune.  All  the  laws  which  constitute  the  Mexican 
nation,  to  wliicli  we  belong,  were  disregarded,  and  in  their 
stead  extravagant  errors  and  monstrosities  were  adopted, 
which  took  from  New  Mexico  its  political  existence  placing  it 
inamiserablestateof  barbarism, destruction  and  annihilation. 
Without  combination,  they  seem  to  have  acted  by  common 
accord,  sensible  men  feigningadhesion  to  it  so  as  to  encourage  ' 
in  this  wise  the  stimulus  to,  or  nourishment  of,  the  work  of 
destruction,  and  reaching  the  belief  that  their  measures 
would  be  salutary,  when  after  summoning  an  assemblage 
some  sort  of  heed  was  given  to  reason  by  agreeing  to  report 
to  the  supreme  government,  protesting  their  (obedience, 
through  two  commissioners  appointed  to  that  effect.  But, 
unfortunately,  the  chieftainsof  the  insurrection,  swollen  with 
triumph,  continued  figuring  in  the  scene,  and  without  any 
respect  to  the  government  which  they  themselves  erected, 
constantly  concocted  new  machinations  which  they  have  put 
into  practice  in  an  equally  alarming  manner;  and,  as  it  is 
known  from  good  sources,  they  are  advancing  to  put  into 
execution  the  plunder  of  this  Capital  and  the  Rio  Abajo. 
WretchesI  Their  savage  ignorance  precipitates  them  from 
abyss  into  abyss  in  search  of  the  punishment  which  divine 
justice  cannot  forgive,  but  will  prepare  for  them. 

"Such  pretensions  are  not,  certainly,  the  ones  which 
engage  my  consideration,  but  the  consequences  that  must 
flow  from  the  state  of  disorder  in  which  we  are  found.  The 
scourgeofoursoil,  theNavajoe,  being  aware  of  the  deplorable 
situation  we  are  placed  in,  will,  by  combining  with  the  fron- 
tier pueblos,  wage  against  us  the  most  disastrous  war, 
bringing  it  to  the  very  bosom  of  our  families,  and,  while  this 
is  happening,  we  shall  bear  as  our  badge,  intestine  confu- 
sion, theft  and  every  sort  of  demoralization. 

"My  fellow  patriots,  it  is  yet  tim.e  to  put  up  a  dyke  to  so 
many  evils.  This  is  the  precious  moment  that  presents 
itself  to  us.  Let  us  return  to  our  self  possession  and 
re-establish  order  at  any  cost.  The  veteran  company  of  this 
Capital  has  voluntarily  reunited  in  arms,  and,  from  the  first 
of  its  officials  to  the  last  of  its  soldiers,  have  sworn  to  main- 
tain the  tranquility  and  to  die  in  the  defense  of  the  laws. 
The  whole  neighborhood   breathes  enthusiasm  and  decision 


382  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

in  a  cause  so  sacred,  and  nothing  else  is  there  to  wish  but 
the  co-operation  with  the  sane  and  sensible  section  of  the 
people  of  Rio  Abajo;  for  so  far  as  regards  the  people  of  Rio 
Arriba,  (we  cannot  count  with  them  now)  the  truth  is  that 
they  are  in  a  state  of  revolution,  and  we  would  do  them  a 
^reat  injury  by  believing  that  a  fourth  part  of  them  are  not 
in  favor  of  disorder. 

"In  virtue,  then,  of  my  powers  as  commandant,  I  have 
decided  to  assemble  a  force  of  600  men  in  this  city  as  quickly 
as  possible,  and  to  that  purpose  I  forewarn  you,  that,  with- 
out loss  of  time,  and  associated  with  the  representative  citi- 
zens of  your  jurisdictions  to  make,  respectively,  a  choice  of 
the  men  best  equipped  and  most  interested  in  the  cause  of 
order,  effecting  the  reunion  at  Bernalillo,  from  whence  you 
will  be  led  under  the  command  of  the  man  whom  it  may  be 
your  pleasure  to  select  as  commander-in-chief. 

"This  is,  gentlemen,  the  recourse  to  which  we  can  appeal, 
and  the  one  which  will  save  our  country  from  the  horrors  in 
which  it  is  plunged,  and,  by  not  doing  it,  as  I  demand  it, 
you  will  be  responsible  before  God,  and  before  a  government 
which  will  know  how  to  vindicate  the  sacred  rights  of  the 
nation. 

"God,  etc.,  Santa  Fe,  September  9,  1837. 

"Messrs.  Alcaldes  of  Rio  Abajo. 

"By  disposition  of  the  Commandant. 

J.  C' 

Armijo   Assumes   the   Gommand   of  the  Forces — The  Insurgents  Sur- 
render—Imprisonment of  the  Chieftains — End  of  the  Revolution. 

When  General  Armijo  had,  with  the  assent  of  the  Military 
■Commandant,  General  Caballero,  assumed  the  absolute  com- 
mand of  the  veteran  and  volunteer  forces,  he  at  once  com- 
menced a  vigorous  and  energetic  campaign  against  the  re- 
bels; obtained  the  submission  of  them  all  without  any  effusion 
of  blood,  and  also  the  capture  and  imprisonment  of  the  head- 
-chiefs  and  investigators  of  the  revolution  who  were  Desiderio 
Montoya,  Antonio  Aban  y  Montoya,  Jos(^  Esquivel  and  Juan 
Vigil.      The    said    revolutionary  chiefs   were  conducted  to 


ILLUSTKATKD   HISTOKV    OP^    NEW    MEXICO.  383 

Santa  Fe,  and  detained  in  prison  incomunicados.  Let  us 
now  hear  Armijo  narrate  his  campaign  and  its  brilliant  re- 
sults, Armijo  speaks: 

"Circular.  " 

"San  Ildefonzo,  Cailada,  Santa  Clara,  San  Juan,  Abiquiii, 
Ojo  Caliente,  Taos,  Trampas,  Santa  Fe.  Political  and  Military 
Government  of  New  Mexico. 

"On  commencing  to  exercise  the  powers  of  superior  poli- 
tical and  military  chief  of  this  Territory,  in  which  necessity, 
and  not  law  has  placed  me,  I  feel  obliged,  not  only  to  give  an 
account  to  the  supreme  government  of  the  nation  of  the 
circumstances  that  have  so  required  it,  but  I  must  also  make 
it  manifest,  ofticially,  to  my  subordinates,  notwithstanding 
that  they  know  it  well  on  account  of  the  notorious  publicity 
of  everything  that  has  occurred  in  consequence  of  the  revo- 
lution. 

"In  the  pronouncement  at  Tome  I  was  appointed  com- 
mander of  the  rescuing  force  with  which  I  started  for  Ber- 
nalillo, the  point  designated  as  headquarters  of  the  army, 
where  in  the  presence  of  the  Prefect,  Don  Antonio  Sandoval, 
the  offices  of  the  active  and  rural  militia,  the  Alcalde  and 
other  representative  persons,  they  agreed  to  confer,  and  did 
actually  confer,  on  me  the  post  of  colonel,  first  chief  of  the 
said  rescuing  army. 

"Having  arrived  at  this  Capital,  I  was  recognized  as  such 
colonel,  and  superior  chief  of  arms  by  the  General  Command- 
ant and  the  rest  of  the  officers  of  the  companies  of  permanent 
veterans  who  submitted  to  my  orders  as  they  made  it  appear 
by  their  signatures  by  means  of  a  formal  document  which 
was  executed  for  the  purpose. 

"With  this  mark  of  obedience  my  ambition  consisted  only 
in  destroying  the  insurrection  of  La  Caflada  assuring  thus 
the  public  tranquility,  and  respect  for  the  laws  that  govern 
us.  In  order  to  completely  obtain  this  result,  it  was  neces- 
sary not  to  lay  down  our  arms  until  the  resolve  of  the 
supreme  government  should  be  learned.  In  consequence  of 
the  treaties  held  in  this  city  on  the  21st  instant,  and  with 
the  above  marshaled  forces,  of  which  I  enclose  you  a  copy, 


384  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  result  was  that  I  was  appointed  superior  and  chief,  not 
only  in  military,  but  also  in  political  affairs,  which  titist  I 
could  not  refuse  without  failing  in  the  duty  of  a  citizen  highly 
interested  in  the  happiness  of  his  country. 

"In  this  manner  the  terrible  scene  of  confusion  ended, 
which,  for  a  second  time,  had  presented  itself  to  unfortunate 
New  Mexico;  the  just  cause  of  order  and  the  laws  rapidly 
triumphing,  in  the  defense  of  which  I  grasped  my  sword, 
without  the  effusion  of  a  drop  of  Mexican  blood. 

"Tranquility  being  restored  in  all  its  extent,  individual 
security  rests  under  the  guaranty  of  the  government  and  of 
the  laws;  and  the  head  chiefs  of  the  revolution  will  suffer  the 
punishment  which  those  laws  in  justice  shall  impose  upon 
them. 

"Whilst,  however,  the  determination  of  the  supreme  gov- 
ernment is  obtained,  all  my  endeavors  and  toils  shall  be  to 
maintain  the  quiet,  cause  the  laws  to  be  observed,  the 
obedience  to  the  constituted  authorities,  and  that  precise, 
indispensable  order  which  is  the  life  of  every  society.  If  in 
order  to  attain  these  ends,  it  becomes  necessary  for  me  ta 
make  some  examples  of  severity,  I  shall,  without  doubt, 
dictate  them,  although  in  sorrow,  in  due  deference  to  the 
duty  which  behooves  me,  and  I  do  not  demand  of  my  fellow^ 
citizens  any  other  co-operation  than  that  of  their  obedience. 

"And  in  virtue  of  such  powers,  and  that  it  may  reach  the 
knowledge  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  under  my 
command,  I  forewarn  you  to  make  it  known  by  means  of  the 
publication  of  this  circular,  getting  a  copy  of  it  and  acknow- 
ledging therein  the  receipt  thereof  with  the  date  of  the  hour 
in  which  it  reaches  and  leaves  every  place. 

"God  and  Liberty.     Santa  Fe,  Sept.  26,  1837. 

"Manuel  Armijo."     (Seal). 

A  Seditious  Individual  Named  Antonio  Vigil  Remains  in  Santa  Cruz — 
lie  Issues  a  Proclamation  of  Insurrection. 

Soon  after  Armijo's  return  to  Santa  F6  with  the  said  revo- 
lutionary chiefs,  the  flame  of  insurrection  was  again  kindled 
at  Santa  Cruz.  On  this  occasion  it  was  initiated  by  a  certain 
Antonio  Vigil,  who,  judging  his  ability  by  the  language  of  his 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  385 

writing,  was  a  consummate  ignoramus.  Vigil  published  his 
string  of  assinities  at  Santa  Cruz  at  the  beginning  of  January, 
1838,  inciting  those  who  desired  to  follow  him  to  use  violence 
in  order  to  set  at  liberty  the  said  chiefs,  Montoyas,  Vigil  and 
Esquivel.  We  give  below  that  literary  abortion.  Here  you 
have  it,  reader,  word  for  word: 

''Circular.  ' 

"San  Francisco  del  Rancho  de  Taos,  Rio  Chiquito,  Pueblo 
de  Taos,  Arroyo  Seco,  Plaza  de  San  Antonio  Desmontes  y 
Ranchitos. 

"In  this  reunion  of  the  Villa  of  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada  of 
the  pueblos  in  love  with  God  and  their  country  commandant, 
defenders  of  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  has  been  pleased 
to  give  notice  to  you  my  esteemed  fellow  citizens  that  we  make 
a  claim  to  that  which  and  all  those  who  are  defenders  of  this 
sacred  standard  may  put  himself  in  precise  march  informing 
you  how  a  departmental  law  has  been  published  in  the  dis- 
tricts and  pueblos  of  the  peaceful  territory  of  New  Mexico 
from  the  tinalized  year  of  the  year  1837,  which  deaths  were 
given  to  the  executors  of  said  laws  who  unsheathing  their 
sword  in  defense  of  said  law,  which  assailing  the  punishment 
high  Omnipotence  the  custodian  staff  of  the  laws  fell  upon 
Mr.  Don  Jos6  Gonzales,  who  was  appraised  by  the  unisonous 
vote  of  the  bosom  of  this  peaceful  territory  Mr.  Don  Armijo 
has  uprisen  in  appraisement  of  the  custodian  staff,  not  by  the 
unisonous  of  the  popular  but  by  one  sole  violence  and  power 
placing  in  the  enclosure  of  prisons  the  defenders  of  the  sav- 
ing plan  of  this  Villa  who  were  the  citizens,  Desiderio  Mon- 
toya,  Antonio  Aban  y  Montoya.  Jos^  Esquivel  and  Juan  Vigil, 
who  are  being  madedeservers  of  the  causes  which  against  this 
unhappy  and  erring  territory  which  they  came  executing  in 
which  therefore  we  beg  of  our  Sovereign  God  to  remember 
the  past  dream  who  are  here  at  times  asleep;  let  us  remember 
his  holy  commandments,  and  I  command  my  fellow  citizens 
that  the  most  necessary  is  that  where  this  circular  be  pub- 
lished the  shout  should  be  raised  of  'long  live  God,  and  the 
country,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  and  Antonio  Vigil,'  and 
in  the  name  of  this  reunion." 


386  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Armijo  is  Declared  Political  Chief- -He  Pronounces  Sentence  of  Death 
Against  the  Culprits — The  Second  Commandant  Hesitates — The 
Sentence  Is  Pronounced. 
On  the  17th  of  October  (1837)  Armijo  went  to  Rio  Abajo  in 
attendance  to  domestic  affairs,  having  first  assumed  the 
charge  of  political  chief  (besides  that  of  commandant-in-chief 
of  the  military  jurisdiction  which  he  already  was  exercising, 
as  we  have  seen)  to  which  he  was  promoted  by  acclamation 
of  all  the  citizens  loyal  to  the  government,  in  acknowledge- 
ment of  his  elevated  patriotism.  Before  leaving,  however, 
he  ordered  that  the  revolutionary  chieftains.  Desiderio  Mon- 
toya,  Antonio  Aban  Montoya,  Jose  Esquivel  and  Juan  Vigil, 
should  be  shot.  The  step  or  determination  taken  by  Armijo, 
although  it  did  not  exactly  adjust  itself  to  what  was  pre- 
scribed by  law — the  trial  and  sentence  of  the  guilty  parties 
before  they  had  been  adjudged  guilty — seemed  to  require 
prompt,  energetic  and  decisive  action  considering  the  steps 
of  Antonio  Vigil  in  the  direction  of  launching  another  Yevolu- 
tion.  It  was  necessary  to  give  a  bloody  example.  In 
cases  of  this  kind  the  Roman  aphorism,  "Necessity  knows 
no  law,"'  is  applicable.  But  the  official,  who  in  Armijo's 
absence  commanded  the  troop.  General  Don  Jose  Caballero, 
hesitated  a  long  while  before  executing  the  order  of  his 
superior;  and,  in  order  to  be  the  more  certain  as  to  whether 
or  not  the  order  of  Armijo  should  be  obeyed,  he  summoned 
a  council  of  war  which  gave  its  verdict  in  favor  of  the  execu- 
tion of  the  culprits.     Here  is  the  opinion: 

"In  the  city  of  Santa  Fe,  Capital  of  the  Territory  of  New 
Mexico,  on  the  21st  day  of  October,  1837,  the  citizen  Jos6 
•Caballero,  general  commandant  of  the  Territory,  and  charged 
with  the  command  of  the  arms  of  this  garrison,  in  the 
absence  of  the  commanding  general,  Don  Manuel  Armijo, 
said:  That  in  virtue  of  the  official  contests  that  have  arisen 
from  the  17th  of  the  present  month,  in  which  the  chief  officer 
■of  this  city  absented  himself  in  virtue  of  the  communications 
which  he  received  from  the  Alcalde  of  the  Villa  of  la  Canada, 
whose  report  is  confirmed  by  the  official  letter  received  last 
night,  as  well  as  by  the  official  order,  which  was  also 
received  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  from  the  commanding 
general,  from  the  reading  of  which  I  have  come  to  entertain 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  887 

some  doubts,  regarding  the  obligations  to  whicii  my  duty 
so  strictly  confines  me  as  to  the  aforesaid  order  of  the  gen- 
eral, and  in  view  of  the  critical  circumstances  of  the  hour,  I 
have  decided,  in  accordance  with  the  faculties  conferred 
upon  me  by  the  ordnance,  to  form  a  general  junta  of  the 
officers  that  may  be  present  to  the  end  that  said  junta  be 
informed  of  all  that  has  happened  in  this  matter,  that  said 
junta  may  resolve  opportunely,  and  as  it  may  seem  more 
convenient  to  it,  the  step  that  should  be  taken  with  respect 
to  the  compliance  of  the  order  of  the  general,  so  far  as  it 
regards  the  decapitation  of  the  culprits  of  which  the  afore- 
said order  speaks.  Gathered  together  in  this  locality,  the 
officters  who  hereto  subscribe  their  names,  they  being  the 
only  officers  at  the  present  in  this  garrison,  the  matter  was 
taken  up,  the  session  having  first  been  opened,  all  the 
statutes  and  orders  that  bear  upon  the  question  were  very 
scrupulously  read,  and  the  junta,  being  thoroughly  conver- 
sant with  the  facts  unanimously  resolved:  That  the  superior 
order  which  the  said  commander  general  has  issued,  be 
obeyed:  but  it  is  necessary,  in  order  to  execute  it,  that  this 
town  be  strengthened  by  all  the  force  necessary  to  repel  any 
attempt  that  may  be  made,  to  which  end  we  asked  that  this 
decision  be  communicated  to  the  commanding  general,  to 
whom  it  is  referred  by  us,  the  said  officers;  that  his  Excel- 
lency may  decide  upon  what  is  more  conformable  and  in 
accord  with  his  views  in  the  premises,  as  well  in  what  it 
refers  in  order  to  repel  any  attack  from  the  insurrectos;  and 
that  from  the  moment  in  which  advices  are  received  to  the 
effect  that  the  rebels  propose  to  attack  this  town  with  what- 
ever pretext,  they,  the  prisoners  may  at  once  be  decapitated 
in  the  cells  where  they  now  are,  because  of  these  very 
occurrences  and  in  compliance  with  the  said  superior  order. 
This  was  agreed  to  by  the  junta  and  they  signed  it,  directing 
at  the  same  time,  that  this  decision  be  communicated  speedily 
by  courier  to  the  commanding  general." 

"Jose  Candelario"  (Seal).  "Esqqipula  Caballero''  (Seal). 
"Jose  Silva"  (Seal).  "Franco  Martinez"        (Seal). 

"Manuel D.Pino"'    (Seal).  "Manuel  Ramirez"'  (Seal). 

"Jos^  Hernandez"   (Seal).  "Rafael  Tapia"  (Seal). 

"Ramon  Baca"  (Seal).  "Teodsio  Quintana"        (Seal). 


388  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Beheading  of  Juan  Jose  Esquivel,  Juan  Vigil,  Desiderio  Montoya  and 
Antonio  A.  Montoya,  the  Culprits — Tragical  End  of  the  Ill-Conceived 
Pronouncement. 

Before  the  decision  of  the  council  of  war  was  communicated 
to  him,  Armijo  returned  to  Santa  Fe,  and  at  once  engaged, 
without  loss  of  time,  in  giving  the  culprits  an  opportunity 
to  settle  their  worldly  affairs  and  prepare  to  be  beheaded  in 
expiation  of  the  unheard  of,  cowardly  and  diabolical  crime 
which  in  consequence  of  their  misunderstood  patriotism  the 
assassins  had  committed,  when  on  the  8th,  and  9th,  of 
August  (1.837),  they  had  stained  their  hands  with  the  innocent 
blood  of  Governor  Perez  and  the  others  martyr-victims  of 
their  infernal  malice.  On  the  24th  of  January  they  were 
decapitated  and  their  decapitation  was  officially  announced 
by  General  Armijo  in  the  following  manner: 

Covernment  of  the  Department  of  New  Mexico. 

"Today  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  traitors  of  lesse- 
nation,  Juan  Jose  Esquivel,  Juan  Vigil,  Desiderio  Montoya, 
and  Antonio  Aban  Montoya  were  beheaded  as  authors  of 
the  horrid  conspiracy  of  the  Villa  de  la  Canada,  whereby  an 
attempt  was  scandalously  made  against  the  national  unity 
and  against  the  sovereignity  of  the  laws  which  constitute 
its  government,  and  the  persons  who  were  representing  it 
in  the  tirst  offices  of  this  department  whom  they  murdered 
with  unexampled  impiety. 

"These  unfortunate  instruments  of  such  horrid  crimes 
were  being  tried  according  to  the  formalities  and  steps  pre- 
scribed by  law;  but  public  tranquility  threatened  by  a  new 
uprising  of  the  chieftain  Antonio  Vigil,  who  has  called 
together  in  a  tumultuous  manner  the  unhappy  people  of 
la  Canada  andChimay6in  support  of  the  revolution,  proffered 
the  government  the  greatest  insults,  menacing  to  take  by 
force  the  aforesaid  culprits,  hastened  their  execution  and  the 
well-merited  punishment  of  their  atrocious  crime. 

"The  just  Heaven  claimed  for  this  execution  and  the 
blame  itself  brought  its  consequent  effects.  The  goverment 
proposes  to  fulfil  fully  its  duties,  and  the  energy  of  its 
measures,  without  any  particular   regard,  or  any  considera- 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  389 

tions  of  friendship  and  interest;  such  wiU  be  the  fixed  rule  of 
its  conduct.  May  God  grant  that  this  spectacle,  so  sad  for 
peaceful  New  Mexico,  be  the  last  to  present  itself  to  its 
natural  humaneness  and  good  sense.  I  lay  this  before  your 
knowledge  that  you  may  publish  it  within  what  comprises 
your  command. 

"God  and  Liberty,  Santa  F^,  January  "2ith,  1838. 

"Manuel  Armijo,"     (seal) 

Santa  F4,  January  29th,  1838. 
"The  forgoing  proclamation  has   been  published   in   this 
city,  and  I   remit  it  to  you  for  the  purpose  that  you    may. 
publish  it  in  that  Real  (town)  without  any  loss  of  time,  and 
send  it  back  to  me  in  order  to  tile  it. 

Ortiz  y  Delgado    (seal) 
i  "Lord  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  El  Real  del  Oro"  ) 
/  "Lord  First  Alcalde  of  Santa  Fe."  f 

With  the  execution  of  the  culprits  Armijo  suppressed  the 
revolution,  restored  peace,  order,  and  good  government 
covering  himself  with  well  deserved  glory.  Immediately 
after  the  re-establishment  of  the  government,  the  American 
merchants  assembled  at  Santa  Fe  and  made  through  the 
American  Consul  the  following  claim  on  the  Mexican 
Government. 

Claims  of  the  American   Merchants.     September,  1837. 

Memorial  sent  by  the  American  merchants  of  Santa  Fe,  to 
the  American  Legation  in  Mexico  immediately  after  the 
suppression  of  the  uprising  called  "The  Chimay6  Revolu- 
tion," giving  a  complete  history  of  the  death  of  Governor 
P^rez  and  of  other  officials,  and  of  the  organization  of  the  new 
government,  and  also  presenting  claims  against  the  Mexican 
government  for  damages  occasioned  by  the  revolutionists, 
signed  by  Alvarez  &  Co.,  S.  G.  &  H.,  P.  W.  Thompson.  L.  L. 
Waldo,  Isidoro  Robidoux,  and  others. 

"To  the  Hon.  Powhattan  Ellis,  Minister  Plenipotentiary  and 
Envoy  Extraordinary  of  the  United  States  of  America  to  the 
Republic  of  Mexico:  The  undersigned,  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  and  merchants  of  the  City  of  Santa  F^,  Capital  of  the 


390  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Department  of  New  Mexico,  respectfully  represent  to  Your 
Excellency: 

"That  iuthe  later  part  of  the  month  of  July  and  the  first  of 
August,  past,  a  little  after  the  arrival  of  the  caravan  from  the 
State  of  Missouri,  a  hostile  encampment  of  Mexican  citizens 
opposed  to  the  constitution  in  force  of  the  republic  was 
formed  in  a  town  named  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Canada  about 
twenty  miles  north  of  tliis  place,  publishing  a  manifesto  to  the 
people  denouncing  the  departmental  order  of  the  government 
and  the  authorities  that  acted  by  and  under  the  new  consti- 
tution, and  assembling  immediately  a  force  of  no  less  than 
2,000  armed  men;  that  on  the  7th  of  August,  the  Governor  of 
the  Department,  Don  Albino  Perez,  the  Justice  of  the  District 
Court,  Don  Santiago  Abreu,  the  Prefect,  Don  Ramon  Abreu, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Department,  Don  Juan  Maria  Alarid,  with 
an  armed  force  of  about  200  men  marched  from  thisplace  to  ap- 
pease the  opposed  party.  But  on  the  8th,  before  they  reached 
the  place  of  their  destination,  they  were  attacked  and  com- 
pletely routed  by  theinsurgents  leavingseven  of  their  number 
dead  on  the  spot,  besides  several  wounded,  and  others  who 
fell  prisoners.  The  victorious  party  considering  that,  after 
their  defeat,  the  officers  of  the  department  would  try  to  flee  to 
Mexico,  immediately,  after  the  action,  sent  out  couriers  to 
the  south,  and  particularly  to  the  pueblo  Indians,  who  are 
all  Mexican  citizens,  to  the  end  that  they  should  arrest  the 
public  authorities  and  all  who  might  accompany  them,  and  to 
put  them  to  death  immediately,  which  order  was  literally 
executed  on  the  9th  and  10th  of  August,  killing  said  public 
officials  together  with  six  subalterns  and  servants  found  with 
them. 

"On  the  mentioned  day,  the  revolutionary  party  at  last 
entered  the  capital  and  elected  Jose  Gonzales  governor  of  the 
Territory,  renouncing  the  title  of  department.  He  took  imme- 
diate possession  of  the  State  House  and  of  the  respective 
offices,  and  proceeded  to  discharge  the  duties  of  military  and 
civil  chief  of  the  province. 

"On  the  27th  day  of  August  last  past,  the  governor  with  all 
the  executive  officers,  divided  and  apportioned  among  the 
chief  men  of  the  conquerors  all  the  effects,  holdings  and  other 
property  of  the  dead  governor,  together  with  that  of  some  of 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOUY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  391 

the  others,  the  balance  of  the  property  of  the  other  author- 
ities who  were  killed  having  been  appropriated  by  the  perpe- 
trators of  the  deed.  On  the  said  27th  day  of  August  after  the 
partition  mentioned,  there  was  a  general  assembly  of  all  the 
alcaldes,  and  principal  men  of  their  respective  jurisdictions, 
summoned  to  the  Capital  by  the  previous  order  of  the  existing 
executive,  which  general  assembly,  after  opening  its  session, 
and  proceeding  with  business,  solemnly  approved  and  sanc- 
tioned all  the  acts  of  the  victorious  party,  as  well  as  the  deed 
of  having  put  to  death  the  authorities  of  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment; the  election  of  governor,  and  the  division  of  the  prop- 
erty of  the  dead  persons  among  the  principals  of  the  party 
which  now  had  the  power;  leaving  in  this  manner  the  credit- 
ors of  the  dead  persons  without  the  least  prospect  of  recover- 
ing the  debts  due  them  by  said  dead  persons,  except  through 
the  equity  and  justice  of  the  general  government  of  the 
Republic  of  Mexico. 

"We  further  represent  that  the  American  merchants  of 
this  place,  during  their  commerce,  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
giving  credit  to  the  public  functionaries  upon  the  security 
that  their  accounts  would  be  regularly  and  honorably  paid  in 
the  adjustment  of  fees  in  the  Custom  House,  and  part  of  our 
debits  were  created  by  means  of  advances  made  to  the  prin- 
cipal officers  for  the  under  officers  and  soldiers  with  whom 
we  did  not  care  to  have  direct  dealing,  under  the  full  faith 
and  confidence  that  they  should  have  been,  or  at  least  the 
principal  portion,  credited  to  our  accounts  in  the  Custom 
House;  but  on  the  contrary  the  present  government  of  the 
province  has  appropriated  to  itself  all  the  public  funds  and 
the  property  of  the  dead  officers  for  its  use  and  benefit, 
destroying  as  we  have  said,  all  hope  of  our  being  remuner- 
ated by  any  other  means  than  through  the  influence  of  your 
Excellency  with  the  authorities  of  Mexico. 

"The  salaries  of  the  dead  gentlemen  were  sufficiently  res- 
pectable, to  wit:  Those  of  the  Governor  and  Judge  were 
three  thousand  dollars  a  year,  and  those  of  the  other  two, 
two  thousand  dollars  yearly  for  each;  these  salaries,  aside 
from  what  was  advanced  to  them  for  the  soldiers  and  under- 
officers,  would  have  been  amply  sufficient  to  have  squared 
our  respective  claim.s,  our  credits  would  have  been  settled 


392  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

through  the  Custum  House  during  the  actual  season,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  unexpected,  and,  for  us,  wonderful  revolu- 
tion that  has  taken  place. 

"We  further  represent  that  our  credits  to  theoflicials,  who 
have  been  sacrified  on  account  of  their  support  to  the  central 
system  of  government,  were  not,  in  all  respects,  voluntar3^ 
The  funds  of  the  Custom-house  are  generally  exhausted 
four  months  after  the  arrival  of  the  caravan,  and  the  author- 
ities and  soldiers  were  compelled  to  be  sustained  by  the 
American  merchants,  and,  upon  the  faith  of  the  arrival  of 
the  next  caravan,  have  never  been  refused,  and  it  would 
never  have  been  very  prudent  to  have  refused  these  advances 
upon  the  assurance  that  our  accounts  w^ould  have  been  verj^ 
honorably  paid  through  the  official  in  the  Custom-house  in 
the  subsequent  season. 

"The  undersigned  base  this  their  memorial  upon  the  follow- 
ing reasons  which  they  hope  and  believe  to  be  sufficiently 
ample: 

1.  Our  credits  were  made  to  the  public  officials  of  the 
Mexican  Repubhc,  enjoying  excellent  salaries,  as  well  as 
upon  the  faith  of  their  salaries  as  also  for  large  sums 
advanced  by  the  said  authorities  to  the  under  officers  and 
soldiers  employed  for  the  defense  of  the  department,  under 
the  full  faith  and  assurance  that  the  said  government  through 
its  Custom-house  would  cause  them  to  be  satisfactorily 
paid  and  discounted  in  the  business  of  fees  which  we  are 
annually  obliged  to  pay  upon  our  goods.  But  owing  to  the 
sacrifice  of  said  officials  and  to  the  confiscation  of  their 
property,  not  by  a  crowd,  but  by  the  measure  duly  approved 
and  sanctioned  by  a  general  assembly  of  the  people,  we  are 
bound  to  look  upon  it  under  the  aspect  of  a  deliberate  act 
of  the  Mexican  people,  and,  therefore,  the  government 
should  be  responsible  to  us  for  this  damage  so  suffered  by 
the  undersigned. 

2,  That  upon  the  faith  of  the  treaty  of  peace  and  friend- 
ship between  the  two  Republics,  we  have  established  our- 
selves in  this  place  under  the  security  that  we  must  be 
protected  in  our  persons  and  in  our  pi-operty;  and  that,  in 
the  case  of  the  breaking  out  of  a  revolution  against  the  tenor 
of  the  Mexican  Constitution,   that  we   should  not  be  obliged 


r 


ILLUSTIiATKD   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  393 


to  be  the  losers,  and  believing  that  this  government,  through 
the  medium  of  our  own,  would  at  any  time  be  made  respon- 
sible for  any  loss  or  damages  suffered  on  account  of  the  acts 
of  the  Mexican  people  towards  the  citizens  of  a  peaceful 
and  friendly  power. 

Adjoining  this  memorial  we  send  a  copy  of  the  manifesto 
distributed  in  the  country  by  the  revolutionists,  marked  "A." 
A  statement  of  our  accounts  with  the  deceased   persons, 
marked  "B." 

The  respective  accounts  against  the  deceased  persons  in 
detail,  marked,  "C,"  which  w^e  agree  to  confirm  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  the  Mexican  government. 

Your  very  obedient  and  very  honorable  servants. 
Alvarez  &  Co. 
S.  G.  &  H. 
P.  M.  Thompson, 
L  L.  Waluo, 

ISIDORO  ROBIDOUX, 

&  others. 
Santa  Fe,  7th,  of  Sept.,  1837." 


CHAPTER  V. 


Armijo  Reports  to  the  Government — Is  Confirmed  in  the  office — Is 
Temporarily  Suspended — Lejanza  and  Chavez  act  in  the  Interim — 
The  System  of  Covernment  is  Changed-  Custom  Houses  are 
Established  at  Taos — Discovery  of  the  old  "placer"  and  Other 
Minerals — Expansion  of  the  Mercantile  Trade — American  Con- 
sulate and  Commercial  Agency — Texan  Invasion — McLeod  Sur- 
renders With  all  His  Force — Other  Texan  Expeditions. 


1837-1843. 


When  Armijo  had  pacified  the  province  he  gave  to  Mexico 
a  report  of  the  revolution  and  its  result  as  well  as  the  reasons 
that  constrained  the  loyal  citizens  to  organize  a  provisional 
government,  placing  him  at  the  head  of  the  army  in  order 
to  suppress  the  insurrection  and  to  assume  the  charge  of  the 
government  while  the  supreme  government  determined 
otherwise.  The  government  at  Mexico  approved  everything 
done  by  Armijo  and  the  other  patriots  who  helped  him  to 
re-establish  order,  rewarding  his  services  and  patriotism  by 
the  confirmation,  or,  to  express  it  better,  by  ratifying  the 
choice  the  citizens  of  New  Mexico  had  made  in  electing  him 
as  their  governor  and  political  chief.  In  this  manner,  Armijo 
came  to  figure  again  as  governorfor  the  last  eight  years  cf  the 
history  of  New  Mexico  under  the  flag  of  Mexico,  except  dur- 
ing the  two  intervals  in  which  A.rmijo  was  temporarily  sus- 
pended by  the  inspector  general,  1844  to  1845,  acting  during 
those  two  dates  as  governors  ad  interim,  Don  Mariano  Marti- 
nez'de  Le  Janza,  in  1844,  and  Don  Jos4  Chdvez  in  1845, 
Armijo  following  towards  the  middle  part  of  1845. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  second  administration  of 
Armijo,  or  between  1837  and  until  the  middle  of  1841,  all 
Armijo's  endeavors,  those  of  the  departmental  assembly,  and 
those  of  the  prominent  men  of  the  territory  were  directed 


ir.LUSTKATKD   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  y95- 

towards  the  development  of  the  industries  which  had  become 
paralyzed  on  account  of  the  rebellion  and  the  other  causes  we 
have  already  enumerated.  In  Taos  a  custom  house  was 
established  in  1847.  In  1839  another  change  of  government 
was  effected  declaring  New  Mexico  as  "commandancy'' 
instead  of  department.  In  that  same  year  many  important 
discoveries  were  made  in  the  mineral  branch  near  the  "Real 
of  Dolores,"  in  Santa  Pe  County,  of  which  we  have  already 
spoken,  giving  the  new  discovery  the  name  of  "Placer 
Nuevo;"  and  in  the  points  of  Abiquiu,  Taos  and  Sangre  de 
Cristo,  discoveries  of  equal  importance  were  also  made,  the 
principal  discoverer  being  (of  the  new  as  well  as  of  the  old 
"Real  de  Dolores"),  Don  Ignacio  Cano,  from  Spain,  maternal 
grandfather  of  the  author  of  this  work:  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment having  given  him  and  to  a  certain  Ortiz  the  grant  which 
up  to  this  date  is  known  as  the  "Ortiz"  grant  in  the  County 
of  Santa  Fe. 

Mercantile  trade  also  received  a  new  and  stronger  impulse. 
(In  the  chapter  dedicated  to  the  development  of  the  indus- 
tries of  the  territory  this  matter  is  more  amply  treated.) 
The  number  of  North  American  strangers  increased  more 
and  more  every  day,  for,  in  addition  to  those  we  have  already 
mentioned,  Messrs.  Robidoux,  Beaubien,  St.  Vrain,  Charles- 
Bent  and  others,  by  that  date,  there  had  arrived  at  Taos,  Col. 
Kit  Carson,  who  became  afterwards  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent men  in  the  Territory,  Mr.  Peter  Joseph,  Branch, 
Ledoux,  Lee,  Quinn,  and  James  Conklin,  Charles  Blumner, 
Houghton  and  many  others  in  Santa  F6,  as  the  reader  must 
have  noticed  in  the  preceding  chapter,  and  Mr.  Waldo  and 
others  in  Mora. 

With  the  enhancement  of  said  trade,  there  had  been  ger- 
minating, however,  a  very  marked  antipathy  in  the  Mexicans, 
on  account  of  the  war  Texas  was  waging  against  Mexico. 


American  Consulate  in  New  Mexico.* 

In  the  year  of  1839,  in  March,  the  United  States  govern- 
ment established  a  consulate  in  New  Mexico.     Don  Manuel 

*Orig-inal  in  my  possession— The  Author. 


"396  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Alvarez  was  appointed  Consul,   with  headquarters  at  Santa 
Fe      His  notificatioti  reads  thus: 

"Department  of  State, 

Washington,  March  22nd,  1839. 
"Manuel  Alvarez,  Esq: 

"Appointed  United  States  Consul  at  Santa  Pe,  Mexico, 
"Sir:  The  President  having  appointed  you  Consul  of  the 
United  States  at  Santa  Fe,  in  Mexico,  I  herewith  enclose  a 
printed  copy  of  the  General  Instructions  to  Consuls,  etc., 
and  other  documents  for  use  of  your  Consulate,  a  list  of 
which  is  annexed. 

"Your  commission  will  be  delivered  to  the  Minister  of  the 
United  States  at  Mexico,  who  will  be  instructed  to  apply  to 
that  government  for  Exequatur  in  your  favor,  and  when 
obtained  to  forward  it  to  you,  with  your  commission.  You 
are  not  authorized  to  perform  any  act  as  Consul  until  an 
Exequatur  has  been  granted  to  you,  unless  the  consent  so  to 
do,  has  been  first  obtained  from  the  competent  authority  in 
Santa  Fe.  I  also  enclose  herewith  a  blank  consular  bond 
which  you  will  execute  and  return  to  this  department  in  the 
manner  directed  in  Art.  1st,  Chapt.  1st,  of  the  General 
[nstructions.  It  is  highly  important  that  you  should  make 
yourself  well  acquainted  with  the  General  Instructions  to 
Consuls,  etc.,  and  fully  comply  with  all  the  requisitions  con- 
tained in  them. 

"I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"John  Forsyth.*' 
"List  of  Enclosures.'' 

"General  Instructions — Blank  Bond — Forms  of  Returns 
etc. — Statement  of  Fees — Ink  Lines — List  of  New  Mins.  and 
Consuls." 

Mr.  Alvarez  acted  as  such  U.  S.  Consul  in  New  Mexico 
until  March,  1846,  at  which  time  the  consulate  was  abolished 
by  effect  of  International  Law  (Mexico  and  the  United  States 
being  then  at  war,  although  war  had  not  been  formerly  de- 
clared by  either  nation.  The  war  was  declared  by  the 
American  Government  on  May  13,  1846,  and  by  Mexico  in 
June  of  the  same  year).  On  that  date  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment established  in  Santa  F6  a  new  office. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  397 

Commercial  Agency  ol  the   U.  S. 

As  stated  above  the  consulate  could  not  exist  while  the  two 
countries  were  at  war.  Yet  the  American  interests  in  New 
Mexico  had  grown  to  such  an  importance  commercially  and 
otherwise,  that  it  was  thought  advisable,  in  order  to  better 
protect  them,  to  establish  a  Commercial  Agency.  Conse- 
quently on  the  18th  day  of  March,  1846,  Secretary  of  State, 
James  Buchanan  officially  notified  Mr.  Manuel  Alvarez  of 
the  creation  of  said  office  and  his  appointment  as  "United 
Commercial  Agent  at  Santa  Fe  in  the  Mexican  Republic.'"* 

Texan  Invasion. 

The  effects  were  now  beginning  to  be  felt  of  the  war 
between  Mexico  and  Texas  in  New  Mexico,  and  as  was  nat- 
ural, the  Mexican  citizens,  whether  right  or  wrong,  could 
not  see  with  pleasing  eyes  the  permanence  of  the  resident 
North  Americans  in  the  Territory.  All  their  words  and 
actions  were  strictly  watched,  for  it  was  believed  that  all  of 
them  (extract  from  the  "Resena  Hist6rica  Sinoptica  de  la 
Guerra  Mejico  Americana"'!  of  the  author)  clandestinely  were 
spies  and  sympathizers  of  the  Texans.  Nevertheless, 
nothing  is  found  in  history  which  shows  a  reason  or  basis 
for  such  suspicions,  except,  perhaps  the  observations  made 
by  Bancroft,  who  is  inclined  to  believe  that  those  suspicions 
were  not  lacking  in  substance,  and  the  assertion  of 
Bustamante  (note  21  Bancft.  "Arizona  and  New  Mexico'"  231). 
When  it  was  known  in  the  year  1841,  that  a  Texan  army  was 
coming  to  invade  and  conquer  New  Mexico  great  excitement 
prevailed  at  Santa  Fe,  among  all  the  strangers,  and  it  is 
possible,  had  they  not  been  protected  with  such  firmness  by 
the  Mexican  authorities,  perhaps  the  people  might  have 
used  violence  against  them  as  will  be  seen  by  the  correspon- 
dence we  give  below  between  the  said  authorities  and 
Alvarez,  the  American  Consul  General,  at  Santa  F^.  On  the 
fourteenth  of  September  of  the  same  year  Alvarez  com- 
plained to  Governor  Armijo  demanding  protection  for  himself 

*The  official  communication  of  Buchanan,  alluded  to,  to  Alvarez. 
is  in  my  possession.— Thk  AnTHOR. 
tRead's  "Res.  Hist.  Sinop.  De  la  Guerr.  Mex.  Americana." 


398  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

and  other  strangers  from  the  outrages  and  insults  which 
they  daily  received  (as  they  said)  from  the  Mexicans  to 
which  complaint,  Miranda,  Secretary  of  the  Government, 
gave  the  following  answer:  * 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Departmental  Government. 

"Having  informed  his  Excellency,  the  Governor,  with  the 
•contents  of  your  note  of  to-day's  date,  he  has  decided  and 
directed  me,  to  tell  you  that  your  Nationals,  as  well  as  any 
others  that  may  be  here  from  other  friendly  nations,  will  be 
protected  and  respected,  and  that  they  will  not  be  permitted 
to  be  insulted  nor  persecuted,  that  every  protection  will  be 
afforded  them  in  conformity  with  the'  treaties;  but  if  it  be 
proved  that  any  one  of  them  takes  part  in  protecting  the 
enemy,  as  this  government  has  learned  from  persons  of 
veracity  that  some  of  your  nation  do,  such  a  one  shall  be 
reputed  as  an  enemy  and  will  at  once  be  proceeded  against 
according  to  law;  a  thing  which  I  make  manifest  to  you  that 
you  mayseetoit,to  warnyour  Nationals  of  the  obligation;  they 
iiave  no  right  to  take  any  part,  which  will  serve  to  give  occasion 
for  the  disorders,  assuring  you  that  this  government  will 
never  molest  you,  so  long  as  no  one  gives  occasion  for  it. 
All  of  which  I  have  the  honor  to  mention  to  you  by  order  of 
his  Excellency  reiterating  to  you  the  considerations  of  my 
esteem.— God  and  Liberty.      Santa  Pe,  September  14th,  1841. 

"Guadalupe  Miranda"     (seal) 
Sr.  Don  Manuel  Alvarez, 

Consul  for  the  United  States  of  the  North  '' 

It  looked  as  if  matters  did  not  go  weh,  notwithstanding 
the  protest  of  those  who  governed,  that  they  would  protect 
strangers:  for,  when  General  Armijo,  who  was  then  governor 
of  New  Mexico,  was  preparing  to  set  out  against  the  Texan 
invading  force,  he  sent  to  Consul  Alvarez,  on  the  16th  of 
September,  the  following  very  significant  communication 
ordering  him  and  all  the  other  strangers  not  to  go  out  of 
Santa  F6.     The  letter  of  September  16th,  follows: 

*  NOTE— The  autooraph  letters  which  passed  between  Armijo  and 
Miranda,  as  Mexican  officials,  and  Manuel  Alvarez,  as  American 
<'onsul,  are  all  in  my  possession.-  -The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  399 

"General  Commandancy  of  the  Department. 
"As  Commanding  General  of  this  department,  and,  in  the 
name  of  the  Mexican  nation  I  warn  you,  as  Consul  of  the 
United  States  of  the  North,  that  neither  yourself  nor  any  one 
of  the  strangers  staying  and  dwelling  in  this  Capital  leave 
it  under  any  pretext  or  motive;  that  you  all  must  remain  in 
the  city  till  my  return;  and  that  on  my  return  I  shall  tell  the 
corresponding  causes  for  this  measure  which  I  deem  indis- 
pensable, and  if  it  be  necessary  will  also  do  so  to  the  very 
nation  that  you  represent.  Acknowledge  to  me  at  once  the 
receipt  of  this  precept.  God  and  Liberty,  Santa  Fe,  Sep- 
tember lt)th,  1841. 

Manuel  Armi.to    (seal)" 

On  the  other  hand,  on  the  same  day,  (16th  of  September), 
the  strangers,  thinking  now  that,  on  account  of  the  Texan 
invasion,  their  lives  and  interests  were  in  danger,  sent  to 
Daniel  Webster,  Secretary  of  the  State,  the  following  commu- 
nication: * 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  Sept.  16,  1841. 
"Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  Sec'y  of  State,  United  States 
of  America. 

"Sir: — In  a  moment  of  extreme  excitement  and  danger  we, 
a  few  isolated  American  citizens,  together  with  a  few  other 
citizens  from  other  nations,  feel  it  to  be  our  duty  to  inform 
the  government  of  the  United  States  of  the  circumstances 
which  surround  and  oppress  us  in  these  moments.  It  has 
been  learned  here  that  an  invading  expedition  composed  of 
325  men  from  Texas  is  approaching  this  Territory;  on  that 
account,  all  the  inhabitants  and  all  the  officials  of  the  govern- 
ment have  become  so  exasperated  against  all  strangers  in 
this  place  that  we  deem  ourselves  in  danger  of  our  lives  and 
destruction  of  our  property,  there  is  danger  imminent;  and 
we  fear  that  before  this  reaches  Washington  we  shall  have 
been  robbed  and  murdered. 

"The  governor  marched  off  today  with  his  troops  to  repel 
the  invaders;  immediately  after  his  departure  from  town  one 
of  his  officers  (seeming  to  us,  the   one  next  to  him   in  com- 

*  The  original  communication  is  in  my  possfission.     The  same  was 
not  forwarded  to  Webster  — Thk  A-UTHOR. 


00  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

mand  and  who  is  also  his  nephew  and  confidant)  turned 
back  and  coming  up  as  far  as  the  door  of  Don  Manuel 
Alvarez,  Consul  of  the  United  States  in  this  place,  with  the 
help  of  several  of  his  soldiers,  and  a  party  of  the  populace, 
went  into  the  Consul's  house  and  grievously  insulted  him 
striking  him  on  the  face;  however,  through  the  intervention 
of  the  Mexican  citizens  of  better  dispositions  the  disturbance 
was  stopped;  but  before  they  withdrew,  the  officers  said 
publically  on  the  street,  and  in  the  presence  of  a  large  multi- 
tude of  citizens  that  after  they  had  routed  the  Texans,  the 
officer  would  return  with  his  troops  and  would  destroy  all  of 
us,  the  strangers. 

"That  conduct,  together  with  innumerable  insults,  injus- 
tices and  undue  oppressions  which  we  are  daily  subjected  to, 
is  evident  proof  to  us  of  how  deep  rooted  against  us  is  the 
antipathy  of  this  government  and  its  citizens. 

"Had  there  been  any  difficulty  between  that  officer  and 
our  Consul,  we  might  have  said  that  he  had  attacked  him 
through  motives  of  personal  vengeance,  but  as  nothing  of 
that  sort  has  occurred,  we  are  constrained  to  believe  that  it 
was  nothing  more  than  the  manifestation  of  the  bad  will 
the  chief  authorities,  and  also  a  majority  of  the  citizens, 
nurse  in  their  hearts  against  us  strangers,  who  live  here. 

"We,  therefore,  hope  that,  with  the  presentation  of  these 
circumstances  to  our  government,  measures  will  be  adopted 
that  will  avoid  the  recurrence  of  similar  injuries  to  our 
citizens. 

"We  are,  sir,  your  obedient  servants,  John  Scolly,  Isaac 
N.  Brenery,  James  Conklin,  Ch.  Kunes,  Conls.  Thr.  Wieck, 
A.  F.  Stackpleth,  Kocio  Tedesely,  Ch.  LeNoir,  Alberto  Gid- 
dings,  Milno  King,  Charles  Blumner,  Ruben  Gentry,  David 
W.  Alexander." 

The  next  day  (the  17th)  Alvarez  again  renewed  his  com- 
plaint, and  solicited  the  government's  protection,  to  which 
Secretary  Miranda,  on  the  same  date  answered  what  followsr 

"Office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Departmental  Gov'mt. 
"Having  informed  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  of  your 
note  of  today's  date,  which  I  have  just  received,   he  has 
directed   me  to  manifest  to  you  that  this  government,   by 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO'.  401 

repeated  orders  has  recommended  all  the  autliorities  to 
watch,  so  that  order  may  be  preserved,  and  the  properties 
and  lives  of  the  strangers  found  in  this  department  be 
secured,  and  that  all  protection  necessary  for  this  purpose 
be  given  them,  rendering  to  them  all  due  consideration 
according  to  the  treaties;  and  that  he  will  continue  to 
redouble  his  vigilance  in  order  that,  now  when  the  enemy  is 
approaching,  and  the  spirit  of  the  citizens  is  restless  and 
exalted,  they  (the  strangers)  may  not  lack  anything  (of  the 
good  treatment)  in  which  you  and  all  the  strangers  should 
rest  assured;  for  the  desires  of  His  Excellency  are  in  favor 
of  tranquility  and  harmony,  and,  on  this  account,  you  must 
cast  away  every  species  of  fear,  and  reassure  your  Nationals 
that  they  have  all  the  protection  of  his  as  is  his  duty,  to 
which  end  he  has  dictated  all  the  proper  and  necessary 
measures,  and  is  on  the  look  out. 

"As  to  the  disrespect  of  the  Alferez,   Don  Tomas  Martinez 
and  the   sergeant  you  mention,  His  Excellency  will  be  duly 
informed  on  his  return.     I  repeat  to  you    the  considerations 
of  my  esteem.     God  and  Liberty,  Santa  Fe,  Sept.  17,  1841. 
"Guadalupe  Miranda  (Seal). 
"Sr.  Dn.  Manuel  Alvarez,  United  States  Consul." 

To  the  same  purpose  Miranda  again  addressed  Alvarez  on 
the  19th,  the  following  communication: 

"Ofiice  of  the  Sec'y.  of  the  Departmental  Gov't. 
"Having  informed  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  by  means 
of  your  note  with  today's  date,  he  has  instructed  me  to  tell 
you  that  the  authorities  are  already  and  had  been  previously 
advised  to  observe  the  treaties,  and  the  recommendations 
for  the  compliance  thereof  shall  be  continued,  directing  them 
to  observe  order  and  good  harmony  with  the  strangers  that 
may  be  found  in  the  department,  and  that  they  give  no  occa- 
sion for  any  other  thing,  but  that  they  must  comply  with 
said  treaties.  I  state  this  to  you  by  order  of  His  Excellency 
for  your  own  knowledge,  reiterating  to  you  the  considera- 
tions of  my  esteem.  God  and  Liberty,  Santa  Fe,  Sept.  19th, 
1841.  Guadalupe  Miranda  (Seal). 

Sr.  Dn.  Manuel  Alvarez,   Consul  for  the  United  States  of 
the  North." 


402  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Lastly  OQ  Sept.  20th,  Alvarez  complained  of  the  repulsive 
conduct  of  officer  Ramirez  towards  the  strangers,  but,  as 
Armijo  had  already  marched  off  to  meet  tlieTexans,  Miranda 
had  to  postpone  the  investigation  of  the  complaints,  advising 
Alvarez  of  this  course  on  the  23rd  through  the  following 
communication. 

"Having  informed  his  Excellency,  the  Governor,  of  your 
note  of  the  2nd  inst.,  and  the  one  you  enclose  which  is 
reserved  until  the  return  of  his  Excellency,  the  contents 
noted  by  him,  he  has  caused  Don  Seratin  Ramirez,  first 
official  of  the  treasury,  to  appear,  and  having  charged  him 
with  what  you  say,  the  latter  has  answered  that  the  only 
thing  he  has  said  has  been  that  he  had  been  told  that  the 
strangers  had  made  joyful  demonstrations,  not  that  he  saw 
it  nor  that  they  burst  out  in  hurrahs;  as  you  are  assured  of, 
that  this  is  the  only  thing  that  has  transpired,  and  in  a  con- 
fidential conversation  at  that,  and  not  before  the  public;  and 
I  hope  that  what  I  have  the  honor  to  tell  you  by  superior 
order  will  serve  you  and  your  Nationals  as  (better)  informa- 
tion. Reiterating  ray  considerations  of  esteem.  God  and 
Liberty,  Santa  Fe,  Sept.  23,  184L 

Guadalupe  Miranda.  (Seal). 

"Sir  Consul,  Don  Manuel  Alvarez." 

Armijo's  Proclamation. 

Before  starting  with  the  army  to  meet  the  Texans,  Armijo 
issued  a  proclamation  which  we  give  below,  said  proclama- 
tion being  one  of  the  causes  which  infused  so  much  fear  in 
the  American  residents  of  the  Capital,  which  fear  crystalized 
itself  in  the  correspondence  the  reader  has  just  read.  The 
proclamation  follows: 

"The  Governor  and  Commandant  General  of  New  Mexico 
to  its  inhabitants. 

"Fellow  Patriots:— The  ever  accredited  mildness  that  in  all 
epochs  and  circumstances  has  characterized  the  benignity  of 
the  Mexican  government,  which,  as  a  guide,  has  ever  been 
followed  by  the  one  who  addresses  you,  from  the  time  he  was 
giventhehonorof  governing  you, as  governor  and  commanding 
general  of  this  department,  well  satisfied  of  the  docility  of  all 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  403 

and  each  of  its  inhabitants,  he  does  not  for  a  moment  hesitate 
to  address  you  (to  the  effect)  that  if  there  be  one  or  several 
(among  you)  who,  seduced  with  or  deceived  by  coaxing  words 
have  without  foresight  effected  any  compromise  assuring 
those  governing  Texas  that  they  will  be  in  their  favor  in  the 
present  struggle  with  Mexico;  and,  though  this  may  have 
been  assured  under  signature,  or  in  any  other  manner,  way, 
or  form;  provided  that  at  present,  and  from  today  on,  they 
accredit  their  patriotism,  adhesion,  loyalty  and  fidelity  to  our 
legitimate  and  paternal  government  of  the  Mexican  republic 
to  which  we  have  the  honor  of  belonging;  in  the  name  of  the 
same,  and  upon  my  word  of  honor,  the  corresponding  pardon 
is  solemnly  hereof  promised  without  fear  of  the  least  damage 
being  inflicted  on  you  on  account  of  such  a  deed,  and  without 
the  least  impairment  to  the  nationality  and  patriotism  to 
which  you  are  creditors  by  a  thousand  titles  as  the  patrimony 
of  loyalty  bequeathed  to  you  as  a  heritage  by  your  an- 
cestors. 

"Yes,  my  dear  fellow^  citizens  and  fellow^  patriots,  it  is  not 
to  be  feared  and  much  less  believed,  that,  with  the  danger  of 
loosing  your  religion,  your  country,  and  your  property,  you 
would  hesitate  for  a  single  moment  to  place  yourselves 
under  the  shadow  of  and  around  your  national  flag,  and 
that,  facing  all  the  dangers,  and  exaggerated  perils,  we,  the 
New  Mexicans  (despite  the  plots  of  those  rivals  and  trai- 
tors, the  Texans,  and  their  followers)  shall  display  our 
valor  and  earn  the  laurels  which  shall  be  displayed  on  a  level 
with  and  parallel  to  those  of  the  most  warlike  nations  on 
earth.  This  I  promise  you,  and  with  this,  your  fellow  cit- 
izen and  chief  drinks  to  your  health," 

"Manuel  Armijo.     (Seal) 
"Santa  Fe,  X.  M.,  Sept.  18,  1841." 

Invasion  by  Texans — Their  Failure. 
The  reader  will  readily  see  how%  in  the  year  1841,  the  situa- 
tion of  the  strangers  was  quite  strained.  The  Texan  expedi- 
tion which  invaded  New  Mexico  in  1841,  left  Texas,  from 
Austin,  on  the  18th  of  June,  with  General  McLeod  in  com- 
mand and  about  320  men  as  troops,  and  some  who  came  as 
merchants.     The  ostensible  object  of  the  expedition   was. 


404  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

according  to  the  historian  who  accompanied  it,  to  estabhsh 
commercial  relations  with  New  Mexico,  and  by  way- of  in- 
ducement, they  came  so  well  prepared  that  they  were  bring- 
ing along  a  piece  of  artillery,  as  if  .to  impose  terror  upon  the 
New  Mexicans,  whom  they  thought  quite  disgusted  with 
the  mother  country,  in  case  they  should  make  any  oppo- 
sition. 

The  truth,  however,  was  that,  as  their  congress  had 
already  approved  a  law  appropriating  all  the  territory  east  of 
the  Rio  Grande,  they  came  with  the  disposition  of  inducing 
the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico  to  separate  from  Mexico  and 
unite  with  Texas,  they  claiming  Nevv  Mexico  as  a  part  of 
Texas.  After  suffering  unaccountable  hardships,  and  losing 
four  or  five  of  their  number,  who  were  killed  by  the  Indians, 
they  reached  New  Mexico;  but,  as  the  Mexican  government 
at  Santa  Fe  already  knew  of  the  premeditated  expedition,  as 
said  above,  Armijo  set  out  with  troops  to  meet  them,  having 
first  sent  a  portion  of  his  army  marching  as  vanguard  under 
Captain  Salazar.  Salazar  met  the  first  party  of  Texans  on 
this  side  of  Antonchico,  which  was  composed  ot  Captain 
Louis,  Van  Ness  and  Messrs.  Howard,  Fitzgerald  and  Kendall 
who  had  been  sent  by  Cook  as  emissaries  to  the  alcalde  of 
San  Miguel  announcing  their  coming  as  a  peaceful  expedi- 
tion. Salazar  had  no  difiiculty  in  obtaining  their  surrender, 
he  disarmed  them,  and  would  have  had  them  shot,  had  not 
Captain  Ramon  Vigil,  the  other  officials,  and  the  soldiers  of 
the  troop  interceded  for  them,  to  whose  entreaties  Salazar 
yielded,  but  ordered,  however,  that  their  hands  should  be 
tied  and  in  that  condition,  carried  to  San  Miguel  and  from 
San  Miguel  to  Santa  F6,  but,  as  they  met  General  Armijo, 
the  later  ordered  that  they  should  be  taken  back  to  San 
Miguel.  Some  historians  assert  that  when  Armijo  arrived  at 
San  Miguel,  with  the  said  prisoners,  there  were  already  two 
more  in  jail  at  San  Miguel,  called  Rowland  and  Baker,  who, 
they  say,  were  shot  in  the  presence  of  Louis,  Ness,  Howard, 
Fitzgerald  and  Kendall,  but  this  author  believes  that  that 
assertion  is  one  of  the  many  fabrications  which  the  fertile 
mind  of  some  historians  have  consigned  to  history  in  detri- 
ment of  truth  and  justice. 


ILLUSTRATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MKXICO.  405 

McLeod  Surrenders  With  All  His  Forces. 
After  some  days'  stay  at  San  Miguel,  Armijo  continued 
his  march  southward  accompanied  by  Louis  who  had 
betrayed  his  comrades,  in  searcli  of  the  other  portion  of  the 
Texan  expedition,  meeting  McLeod  and  other  persons  of  the 
expedition  on  the  5th  of  October,  at  Laguna  Colorada,  near 
Tucumcari.  McLeod  and  all  his  men  surrendered  at  dis- 
cretion and  were  conducted  as  prisoners  to  San  Miguel, 
from  which  place  they  were  dispatched  on  foot  to  Mexico, 
on  October  17th.  The  unfortunate  Texans  suffered  a  great 
deal  on  the  road  to  Mexico  on  account  of  the  inhumanity 
with  which  they  were  treated  by  the  soldiers  who  conducted 
them;  and  they  might  have  fared  worse  had  not  Captain 
Albino  Chacon  gone  with  them,  who  though  being  a  military, 
was  a  man  of  noble  and  humane  sentiments,  took  pity  on 
them  and  did  all  he  could  to  mitigate  their  suffering  till  they 
reached  El  Paso  del  Norte,  (now  Juarez,  Mexico)  where  they 
were  received  by  General  Gonzales  and  the  Cure,  Don  Ramon 
Ortiz,  who  at  once  took  interest  in  treating  the  prisoners 
with  charity. 

Other  Texan  Expeditions. 

The  year  1848,  in  the  month  of  April,  an  expedition  of 
banditti  was  organized  in  Texas,  with  John  McDaniel  as 
headchief,  to  come  to  New  Mexico  as  thieves  in  order  to  rob 
the  caravans  which  went  from  New  Mexico  to  Missouri. 
The  said  expedition  consisted  of  15  men  of  the  worst  breed 
that  could  be  found.  McDaniel  with  his  gang  left  Texas  in 
April  coming  towards  New  Mexico.  Armijo,  who  had  already 
been  informed  of  the  organization  of  said  expedition,  and 
others  which  were  to  follow  it,  asked  reinforcements  from  the 
governor  of  Chihuahua,  who,  thereupon,  sent  a  batallion  of 
soldiers  under  General  Don  Jos6  Montoredo. 

Death  of  Don  Antonio  Chavez. 
McDaniel,  however,  was  able  to  enter  New   Mexico  attack- 
ing several  caravans,  among  them,    that  of    Don  Antonio 
Chdvez  who  was  traveling  with  only  two  wagons  and  five  men. 
McDaniel   met  Don  Antonio  Chdvez's  train  on  the  Napeste 


406  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

(Arkansas)  River,  and,  as  he  caught  him  by  surprise,  he 
was  enabled  to  capture  Don  Antonio  Chavez  and  the  fiye  men 
who  accompanied  him;  they  destroyed  his  wagons,  stole  55 
mules,  and  ten  thousand  dollars  that  he  carried  in  gold;  and, 
not  content  with  robbing  him,  they  bound  him  hand  and  foot 
and  killed  him  in  the  vilest  and  most  cowardly  manner,  casting 
his  body  into  a  chasm.  The  men  who  accompanied  Don 
Antonio  escaped.  McDaniel  and  nine  of  his  men  were  sub- 
sequently captured  by  United  States  soldiers,  tried  and  hung 
in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  for  the  murder  of  Chavez. 

Bandit  Wordfield  Attacks  Town  of  Mora. 
In  the  same  year  and  month,  April,  1843,  another  Texan 
bandit,  called  Wordfield,  set  out  from  Texas  towards  New 
Mexico,  with  24  men,  all  thieves  and  highwaymen,  like  him- 
self. Wordfield  was  able  to  reach  as  far  as  the  town  of  Mora 
without  being  noticed,  and  attack  the  defenseless  people  of 
that  village  at  midnight,  killing  five  men,  and  leaving  an  equal 
number  wounded,  and  stealing  all  the  horses  he  could  meet 
with.  The  next  day  the  inhabitants  of  Mora  started  in 
pursuit  of  him.  They  overtook  him  and  captured  five  of  his 
companions,  Wordfield  and  the  others  succeeding  in  escap- 
ing. The  five  prisoners  were  sent  to  Santa  Fe,  where  they 
were  punished  with  imprisonment. 

Third  Texan  Bandit. 
In  the  same  month  and  year,  April,  1843,  the  third  and 
last  of  the  Texas  banditti,  known  in  Texas  by  the  name  of 
"Colonel  Snively,"  set  out  from  Texas  for  Santa  F6.  Snively 
was  going  toward  the  Napeste  River  as  his  place  of  destina- 
tion, where  he  arrived  in  May,  establishing  his  camp  about 
100  miles  below  Bent's  Fort.  On  the  17th  of  June,  the  annual 
cavaran  from  Missouri  to  Santa  F6  was  to  arrive  at  Bent's 
Fort.  This  time  it  consisted  of  60  wagons  belonging  to 
American  and  Mexican  merchants  of  New  Mexico,  escorted 
by  Capt.  John  Cook,  with  200  American  soldiers  as  far  as 
Bent's  Fort;  and  from  New  Mexico  ro  Bent's  Fort  caravans 
were  escorted  by  Mexican  troops  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Bentura  Lovato.  Through  his  spies  Snively  learned 
that  the  cavaran  was  about  to  arrive  at  Bent's  Fort. 


ILLUSTEIATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  407 

Death  of  Bentura   Lovalo — Capture  of  Snively  by  Cook. 

Snively  then  set  out  meeting  with  Captain  Bentura  Lovato 
already  very  near  Bent's  Fort.  Lovato  who  was  going  on  the 
vanguard  took  Snively  and  his  troop  as  the  pickets  of  Cook's 
army;  Snively  taking  in  the  mistake  made  by  Lovato,  fell 
suddenly  upon  him  and  his  soldiers  killing  him  and  fifteen 
men  and  making  prisoners  almost  all  the  rest.  One  of  those 
who  were  able  to  escape  made  a  report  of  the  occurrence  to 
the  caravan  and  Cook's  spies  were  informed  of  the  encounter 
and  these  immediately  advised  Cook  of  what  had  occurred. 
Cook,  next,  set  out  hurriedly  with  200  soldiers  capturing 
Snively  before  he  could  hear  of  the  arrival  of  the  American 
army.  Snively  seeing  himself  surrounded  gave  himself  up 
unconditionally,  and  the  caravan  was  enabled  to  get  to  Bent's 
Fort,  without  any  mishap. 

The  murder  of  Bentura  Lovato  and  his  soldiers  produced 
great  alarm  all  over  the  Territory,  and  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment, immediately  after  being  informed  of  the  sad  event, 
issued  a  decree  whereby  the  entry  into  New  Mexico  was  for- 
bidden to  strangers  who  might  be  considered  as  banditti,  and 
ordering  the  decapitation  of  all  those  strangers  who  should 
be  caught  as  highwaymen.  The  capture  of  Snively  was  the 
epilogue  in  the  well  planned  conspiracy  between  McDaniel, 
Wordlield  and  said  Snively.  Here  ends  the  fifth  chapter  of 
Book  Four  of  this  work,  to  commence  in  the  next  the  nar- 
rative one  of  the  most  important  events  recorded  in  the 
history  of  New  Mexico — the  invasion  and  taking  of  New 
Mexico  by  the  army  of  the  United  States. 

Memorial  of  Rev.  Antonio  J.  Martinez  to  Santa  Anna. 

Before  commencing  the  chapter  following,  it  is  necessary 
to  relate  here  another  incident  of  importance  that  happened 
in  New  Mexico  in  1843.  In  November  of  that  year  the  Pres- 
byter, Antonio  Jos^  Martinez  sent  to  President  Santa  Anna 
an  interesting  little  work  printed  on  the  printing  press  of 
said  Presbyter  at  Taos,  in  which  Father  Martinez  unfolded 
the  gloomy  situation  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico  and 
assigned  as  the  causes  which  produced  such  situation,  two 


408  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

things,  namely:  The  frequent  incursions  of  the  savage 
Indians  and  the  great  damages  to  the  population  which,  on 
account  of  being  almost  abandoned  by  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment, v\7as  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the  savages;  in  order  to 
remedy  that  condition  the  Presbyter  suggested  that  the  gov- 
ernment should  establish  militaiy  garrisons  in  the  most 
exposed  points  of  the  Territory  and  to  place  the  said  tribes 
of  nomadic  Indians  under  reservations,  and  under  the  care  of 
the  military  branch  of  the  government.  Second,  to  the  lack 
of  tact  on  the  part  of  the  Mexican  governors  in  having 
granted  to  the  strangers  of  North  America  (Bent  and  others) 
permission  to  build  forts  along  the  Napeste  and  Chato  rivers 
with  the  object  of  establishing  in  said  forts  commerce  with 
the  said  tribes.  Father  Martinez  maintained,  among  other 
things,  or  rather,  accused  said  strangers  of  North  America 
of  beingthemselves  the  cause  of  the  incursions  of  said  tribes 
because,  as  he  states  it,  they  furnished  them  with  arms  and 
liquor.  We  subjoin  below  what  on  that  matter  Padre  Mar- 
tinez said: 

"Although  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  government,  the 
strangers  of  North  America  were  not  permitted  to  build 
forts  in  order  to  establish  trade  with  the  Indians  of  the 
north,  because  it  was  feared  that,  with  such  a  pretext,  they 
might  pervert  them  and  encourage  them  to  revolt  against  us, 
and  constantly  harass  this  department,  which  they  have 
claimed  as  theirs,  nevertheless  at  the  present  time.  North 
Americans,  through  the  liberality  of  our  Mexican  govern- 
ment, have  been  permitted  to  erect  forts,  and  they  are  erect- 
ing them  since  the  year  1832  to  the  present  on  the  margins 
of  the  Rio  Napeste  (Arkansas)  and  Rio  Chato  and  other  inter- 
mediate places  between  the  camps  inhabited  by  those  (Indian) 
nations.  Besides  the  necessary  and  useful  articles  they  also 
sell  them  liquors  and  whiskeys,  which  forbidden  article  has 
extremely  demoralized  said  (Indian)  nations  and  this  with  the 
others  serve  them  as  incentives  for  destroying  the  buffalo. 
That  is  also  a  cause  for  those  Indians  to  make  incursions  into 
our  department  with  the  object  of  stealing  horses  bought  of 
them  by  the  owners  of  said  forts;  and  that  is  also  an  occasion 
that  several  of  the  idle  and  ill-intentioned  among  our  own 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  400 

people  liave  determined  and  taken  the  choice  of  becoming 
horse  thieves  themselves  in  order  to  sell  them  in  said 
forts."* 

♦Exposition  of  Presbyter  Martinez,  pp.  .{  and  4.  Said  exposition 
was  printed  on  the  printinf,--  press  of  Father  Martinez  in  Taos,  and  the 
only  copy  extant  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  author  of  this  work.  -The 
AUTHOK. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


The  Yutas  Attack  Governor  Martinez — Heroism  of  the  Governor's 
Wife — Invasion  of  the  American  Army — March  of  the  American 
Army — Taking  of  Santa  Fe — Organization  of  the  New  Govern- 
ment—  Official  Appointment  of  Territorial  Officers — An  Anti- 
American  Pronouncement — Bent  Starts  for  Taos  and  is  Assassi- 
nated—  Others  die  With  Him — Father  Martinez  Saves  an  Ameri- 
can and  the  Families  of  the  Murdered  Men — Murder  at  Mora  and 
Las  Vegas — Measures  are  Taken  for  the  Punishment  of  the 
Rebels — Surrender  of  the  Taos  Indians  and  Execution  of  Their 
Chief — Assault  and  Punishment  of  the  Mora  Insurgents — End  of 
the  War  With  Mexico — Historical  Letter  From  California. — Yuta 
Indians  Assault  Governor  Martinez. 


1843-1848. 

Let  us  say  a  word  about  an  occurrence  to  Governor 
Mariano  Martinez  de  Lejanza  in  the  year  1844,  before  enter- 
ing upon  the  narrative  of  the  North  American  invasion.  In 
the  year  1844,  a  large  party  of  Yutas  came  to  Santa  F6  with* 
the  ostensible  mission  of  making  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Gov- 
ernor Martinez,  who  received  their  captains  in  friendly 
terms  in  his  office;  while  remaining  alone  with  them,  an 
altercation  broke  out  between  himself  and  said  Indians,  the 
dissension  culminating  in  an  assault  against  the  person  of 
the  governor  who,  doubtless,  would  have  been  murdered  by 
the  Indians,  had  it  not  been  for  the  timely  intervention  of  the 
governor's  wife,  who  heard  the  excited  voice  of  her  husband, 
and  entered  the  room  just  at  the  moment  when  one  of  the 
Indians  was  about  to  stab  the  governor.  The  lady  grasped 
a  chair  and  threatened  the  Indian  with  it,  uttering  at  the 
same  time  a  shout  of  alarm.  The  soldier  who  acted  as  senti- 
nel entered  next  calling  other  soldiers  at  the  same  time. 
In    the    confusion  which  ensued  the  Indians  escaped,   but 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  411 

were  caught  by  the  troop  and  the  citizens  in  the  city  park, 
where  they  were  attacked  and  many  of  them  killed,  the 
others  succeeding  in  escaping,  assaulting  and  killing  whom- 
soever they  met  on  their  way,  their  first  victim  being  the 
citizen  Julian  Martinez  whom  they  killed  at  the  Arroyo  de 
los  Guajes,  near  San  Ildefonso;  and  at  Tierra  Azul,  near 
Abiquiu,  they  met  with  Cruz  Vigil,  Ramon  Vigil,  and 
another  Vigil,  nicknamed  Giiero  Vigil,  whom  they  assaulted 
leaving  Giiero  Vigil  and  Jose  de  la  Cruz  Vigil  dead  in  the 
affray  and  two  Indians,  Ramon  Vigil  being  the  only  one  that 
could  escape  with  a  wound  on  his  chest.* 

Governor  Martinez  Finds  the  Territory  in  Complete  Bankruptcy — A 
Forcible  Loan  is  Decreed — An  Englishman,  John  Scolly,  is  Pun- 
ished for  Refusing  to  Pay  His  Due — 1845. 

The  insurrection  of  1837,  and  the  Texan  invasions  left  the 
Territory  in  so  precarious  a  condition  that  when  Don  Mariano 
Martinez  de  Lejanza  took  charge  of  the  government  (1844)  the 
public  treasury  lacked  the  funds  to  pay  the  maintenance  of 
the  troops.  In  view  of  such  a  deplorable  situation,  the  depart- 
mental assembly  decreed  upon  demand  of  Governor  Martinez, 
on  the  14th  of  February,  1845,  an  individual  impostor  tax 
against  the  Mexican  citizens,  the  sum  which  each  citizen  had 
to  pay  depending  from  his  pecuniary  means,  the  weight  of 
the  decree  falling  almost  exclusively  upon  the  landed  and 
rich  of  the  Territory. 

The  step  taken  by  Martinez  bordered  on  despotism,  but 
circumstances  required  extraordinary  measures  to  save  the 
population  from  the  anarchy  in  which  the  chaotic  state  of  the 
revenue  was,  inevitably,  about  to  precipitate  it.  Immediately 
after  the  decree  had  been  heralded,  the  decree  was  put  into 
execution  against  an  English  individual  called  John  Scolly 
(he  was  called  "Escole"  at  Santa  Pe),  a  merchant  and  resident 
of  the  Capital.  Scolly  was  married  to  a  native  lady  of  Santa 
Fe,  and  he  had,  sometime  before  the  approval  of  said  decree, 

*  The  information  for  this  narrative  is  due  by  the  author  to  Don 
Francisco  Vigil  y  Montoya,  relative  to  J.  de  la  Cruz  Vig-il  and  Giiero 
Vig-il.  resident  of  Espaiiola  and  of  85  years  of  age,  said  information 
having-  been  given  to  the  author  on  the  I7th  of  August,  1910,  by  writing,, 
at  Espafiola,  and  signed  by  said  Francisco  Vigil.— The  Adthok. 


412  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

made  an  application  for  a  certificate  of  Mexican  citizenship. 
His  application  had  been  approved  by  the  governor,  but  he 
was  waiting-  for  its  final  approval  by  the  superior  authority. 
In  virtue  of  that  application  a  tax  of  five  hundred  dollars  was 
levied  upon  Scolly,  reputed  already  a  Mexican  citizen.  He 
refused  to  obey  the  decree;  wherefore  the  following  sentence 
■or  peremptory  *  order  was  issued  in  which  appears  all  that 
was  said  and  done  b\^  either  party. 

"Seal  Fourth,  Two  Reals,  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  forty-two,  and  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
forty-three. 

"Habilitated  for  the  years  of  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  forty-five  and  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-six. 
"Mariano  Martinez,  Governor,  (Seal.) 
"Jose  Antonio  Chavez.  (Seal),  Administrator. 

"Santa  Fe,  April  1,  1845. 
"Senor  Don  Juan  (John)  Escole,  being  a  debtor  in  the  quan- 
tity of  five  hundred  dollars,  by  decree  of  the  most  excellent 
assembly  of  the  14th  of  February  last,  for  tax  imposed  as  a 
loan  with  obligation  of  paying  same  as  a  Mexican  citizen, 
which  decree  was  issued  because  of  the  scarcity  of  resources 
in  which  the  government  of  the  department  finds  itself,  to 
attend  to  the  precise  needs  of  the  garrison;  for  that  reason 
the  mentioned  decree  being  sanctioned,  and  published,  the 
term  of  fifteen  days  was  placed  for  the  payment  of  said  tax 
into  the  treasury  of  the  department,  and  that  requirement 
not  having  been  verified,  I  went  in  person  accompanied  by 
my  witnesses  of  attendance  to  the  house  of  the  mentioned  Don 
Juan  (John)  Escole,  to  notify  him  in  person  that  if  within  a 
third  day  he  did  not  pay  said  sum  into  the  designated  treas- 
ury, the  said  five  hundred  dollars,  he  would  be  proceeded 
against  by  execution  as  it  is  provided  in  said  decree.  I,  the 
citizen  Franco.  Ortiz  y  Delgado,  2nd  constitutional  alcalde, 
and  by  virtue  of  law,  judge  of  the  first  instance  and  of  the 
treasury.  So  I  decreed,  commanded  and  signed  acting  the 
foregoing  with  the  witnesses  of  my  attendance  with  whom  I 

*  The  alluded  decree  is  in  tlie  hands  of  this  author. 


ILLUSTRATb:!)    IIISTOUY    OF    NKAV    MEXICO.  41:5: 

act  as  repertory  in  the  lack  of  a  public   notary,  there  being 
none,  in  this  department  of  which  I  give  testimony. 

"Fkancisco  Ortiz  y  Delgado,  (Rubric). 
"Witness  of  attendance:  "Witness  of  attendance: 

"Nicolas  Pino,  (Rubric)     "Anastacio  Sandoval, "(Rubric) 

"In  the  Clt3'  of  Santa  Fe,  Capital  of  the  Department  of  New 
Mexico,  and  in  the  same  day,  month  and  year.  I,  the  citizen 
Franco  Ortiz  y  Delgado,  2nd  constitutional  alcalde  and  judge 
of  the  1st  instance  of  the  treasury  aforesaid,  visited  the 
house  of  Don  Juan  Escole,  accompanied  by  those  (witnesses)' 
of  my  attendance  in  compliance  with  the  command  aforesaid 
and  of  the  superior  order  of  the  most  Excellent  Sr.  Governor 
yesterday,  when  he  was  present,  I  made  known  to  him  the 
contents  thereof;  when  he  was  informed,  he  said;  that  he  is 
not,  nor  holds  himself  a  Mexican  citizen,  although  he  is 
married  to  a  Mexican  lady,  so  long  as  his  letter  of  citizen- 
ship is  not  delivered  to  him  which  he  has  solicited  and  paid 
for;  that  he  expects  the  decision  of  the  Mexican  government, 
but  meanwhile  considers  himself  a  citizen  of  Great  Britain. 
This  he  answered  and  signed  with  me  and  those  (witnesses} 
of  my  attendance  with  whom  I  act  as  my  repertory,  in  the^ 
absence  of  notary  public,  there  being  none  of  any  kind  in 
this  department. 

I  give  the  testimony, 

"Juan  Scolly" 

"Francisco  Ortiz  y  Delgado"  (Rubric) 
Of  attendance  Of  attendance 

"Anastacio  Sandoval" (Rubric)      "Nicolas  Pino"  (Rubric} 

"On  said  day,  month,  and  year,  in  compliance  with  what 
has  been  disposed  by  his  Excellency,  the  governor  by  his 
ofl&cial  letter  of  the  day  in  which  he  decided  what  appears  in 
what  is  attached  hereto  and  for  its  compliance  let  Don  Juan 
Scolly  be  summoned  that  he  may  be  informed  of  its  contents,, 
and  let  him  answer  what  may  suit  him.  So  I  decreed,  com- 
manded and  signed  it,  with  those  (witnesses)  of  my  atten- 
dance of  which  I  bear  testimony. 

"Francisco  Ortiz   y  Delgado"  (Rubric) 
Of  attendance  Of  attendance 

"Nicolas  Pino"  (Rubric)     "Anastacio  Sandoval"  (Rubric} 


414  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Notification: — Incontinenti,  Don  Juan  Escole  beingpresent, 
in  virtue  of  tiie  aforesaid  Superior  Official  letter  says  that  he 
hears  it,  and  that  he  cannot  prescind  from  the  solicitude  he 
has  made  respecting  his  naturalization  papers  which  he  has 
petitioned  from  the  supreme  government,  and  that  while 
this  does  not  come,  no  one  should  consider  him  as  such  a 
citizen:  This  he  answered  and  signed  with  me  and  those 
■of  my  attendance  of  which  I  bear  testimony. 
"Juan  Scolly" 

"Franco  Ortiz  y  Delgado"  (Rubric) 
Of  attendance  Of  attendance 

*'Anastacio  Sandoval"  (Rubric)    "Nicolas  Pino"  (Rubric) 

"In  this  city  of  Santa  Fe  on  the  second  day  of  the  month 
of  April,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty  five.  Having 
^x-officio  rendered  a  report  to  his  Excellency,  the  governor, 
through  his  secretary,  has  commanded  me  to  summon  the 
said  Don  Juan  Escole  and  verbally  ordered  me  not  to  wait 
for  any  answer  from  said  Escole,  instructing  me,  at  the  same 
time,  to  only  adhere  to  the  first  order  which  is  attached 
hereto  and  that  I  should  proceed  to  verbally  notify  to  said 
Don  Juan  Escole  the  suspension  of  his  business  in  his 
two  stores,  a  thing  I  did,  in  effect,  yesterday  at  about  six 
o'clock  in  the  evening  in  the  presence  of  the  two  witnesses 
of  my  attendance  who  heard  me  make  to  him,  Escole,  the 
intimation,  adding  furthermore,  that  said  intimation  was 
made  by  order  of  his  Excellency  which  he  had  verbally  given 
me  and  that  for  every  half  a  bit  (half  dime)  of  lard,  or  meat, 
by  him  sold,  a  fine  of  two  hundred  dollars  would  be  imposed 
on  him,  and  that  it  may  so  appear,  I  have  signed,  myself  as 
the  present  justice,  with  those  of  my  attendance. 

"Franco  Ortiz  y  Delgado"  (Rubric) 
•Of  attendance  Of  attendance 

"Anastacio  Sandoval"  (Rubric)    "Nicolas  Pino"  (Rubric) 

As  it  does  not  appear  in  the  transaction  whether  or  not 
Scolly  paid  the  $500.00  fine  or  had  to  suspend  the  sale  of  his 
merchandise,  the  supposition  is  justitiable  that  he  did  pay  the 
fine  as  that  was  the  only  alternative  left  him  in  order  to 
a,void  heavy  losses. 


ILLUSTHATKD   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  415 

Last  Election  of  Officers  Under  the  Mexican  Government. 

On  the  7th  of  October,  1845,  the  commission  which 
appointed,  or  elected  the  deputy  to  the  National  Congress 
and  the  members  of  the  departmental  assembly  met  in  Santa 
F6,  with  the  object  of  making  the  election  of  said  officials. 
Said  commission  was  appointed  by  the  governor  and  its 
duties  ended  with  the  choice  of  a  regular  delegate  and  sub- 
stitute to  the  Congress,  and  live  members  and  three  sub- 
stitutes which  composed  the  departmental  assembly.  On 
account  of  the  peculiarity  of  their  functions,  this  commission 
was  designated  by  the  high-sounding  title  of  "Electoral 
College."  Its  number  or  personel  was  three  individuals. 
On  that  day  the  result  of  the  election  was:  For  deputy  to  con- 
gress, Don  Tomas  Chavez  y  Castillo,  for  substitute,  Don 
Vincente  Sanchez  Vergara.  For  the  departmental  assembly, 
the  Messrs.  Presbyter  Antonio  Jos6  Martinez,  Tomds  Ortiz, 
Juan  Perea,  Juan  Crist6bal  Armijo  and  Felipe  Sena.  Sub- 
stitutes, Don  Serafin  Ramires,  Don  Vicente  Martinez  and 
Don  Santiago  Armijo.  Those  functionaries  were  acting  in 
their  respective  posts  at  the  time  of  the  change  of  govern- 
ment in  August  of  the  year  following.*  Let  us  now  go  back 
to  the  epoch  of  the  most  transcendental  importance  in  the 
historical  annals  of  New  Mexico — the  American  invasion  and 
the  third  change  of  government. 

Invasion  by  the  American  Army. 

As  we  have  already  informed  the  reader  about  the  war 
that  existed  between  Mexico  and  Texas  in  the  year  1841,  we 
will  now  state  that  said  war  finally  resulted  in  the  rupture 
of  hostilities  betw^een  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  in  May, 
1846,  but  as  in  another  work  f  we  give  the  complete  and 
detailed  history  of  that  war  and  its  consequences,  we  shall 
content  ourselves  now  by  making  a  concrete  reference  to  said 
war  referring  the  reader  to  the  alluded  work  for  further  in- 
formation upon  that  subject. 

*The  orig-inal  official  list  of  that  last  election  is  in  the    possession  of 
the  author  of  this  work,  the  picture  of  said  list  is  publislied  in  another 
part  of  this  work.  Read's:  Hist.  Sinup.  de  la  Guerra  Mex. -Americana. 
t  Read's:  Hist.  Sinop.  dela  Guerra  Mex.  Americana. 


416 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


In  the  year  1846,  Don  Manuel  Armijo  being  governor  of 
New  Mexico,  General  Kearny  entered  New  Mexico  at  the 
head  of  the  American  army,  and,  without  tiring  a  shot^ 
received  the  voluntary  submission  of  the  people  of  New 
Mexico,  took  possession  of  the  Capital  of  the  Territor}^,  and 
organized  a  new  government  under  the  American  flag.  The 
impartial  reader  must  have,  doubtless,  already  realized  the 
very  sad  situation  in  which  the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexica 

were  found  in  1846,  when 
the  change  of  flags  was 
effected,  and,  from  the  in- 
formation he  has  so  re- 
ceived in  the  foregoing 
chapters  of  this  work,, 
must  have  felt  convinced 
that  the  people  of  New 
Mexico  in  submitting  to 
the  American  army  de- 
serve no  censure  for  its 
apparent  lack  of  patriot- 
ism or  civic  valor,  but  are 
rather  worthy  of  admira- 
tion for  having  foreseen 
that  if  that  war  would  in- 
evitably have  to  result  in 
the  defeat  of  Mexico,  and 
the  economical  material,, 
industrial  conditions  of 
the  Territory  demanded, 
as  a  prudent  and  neces- 
sary thing,  the  step  taken  by  the  people  in  declaring 
in  favor  of  the  American  government,  insuring  thus  the 
happiness  and  higher  civilization  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Territory;  the  change  was  furthermore  made  necessary 
because  of  the  contempt  and  abandonment  with  which  the 
Spanish  and  Mexican  governments  had  treated  the  inhab- 
itants of  New  Mexico.  With  this  brief  introduction  the 
historical  veil  of  that  epoch  is  rent  asunder  allowing  us  to 
present  to  the  reader  the  operations  practiced  by  the  Amer- 
ican government  during  that  memorable  date. 


ClmrU's  Kent. 
First  American  (iov< 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


41" 


March  of  the  American  Army — Capture  of  Santa  Fe     Organization  of 
The  New  Government. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1846,  the  third  division  of  the  Ame- 
rican army,  designated  by  the  name  of  the  "Army  of  the 
West,"  set  out  from  Fort  Leavenworth,  under  General 
Kearny,  v^^ith  300  men  of  the  regular  army,  and  a  cavalry 
regiment  under  Colonel  Doniphan,  who  had  with  him,  in 
addition  to  said  regiment, 
500  volunteers  making  a 
total  of  1700  armed  men. 
Colonel  Sterling  Price  fol- 
lowed with  another  di- 
vision of  1800  men,  the 
two  armies  making  up  a 
total  of  3500  men,  in- 
fantry, cavalry,  and  artil- 
lery. The  army  reached 
Bent's  Fort  in  August, 
where  it  was  expected  by 
Lieutenant  Emory,  chief 
of  the  military  engineers, 
who  was  to  accompany 
Kearny's  army  on  the 
march.  Let  us  now  leave 
the  American  army  in 
camp  at  Benfs  Fort,  and 
take  a  glance  at  the  Capi- 
tal of  New  Mexico,  to  fa- 
miliarize the  reader  with 
the  preparations  Armijo  was  making  to  repel  the  invade 
ing  enemy.  As  soon  as  it  was  -learned  in  Santa  F^  that  the 
American  army  was  encamped  at  Benfs  Fort,  a  private 
meeting  was  held  in  the  City  of  Santa  Fe,  in  which  the 
principal  citizens  took  part  with  the  object  of  discussing  the 
steps  that  should  be  taken.  (The  author  obtained  this  in- 
formation in  the  year  1884,  at  Santa  F6,  from  Don  Jos6  Pablo 
Gallegos,  who  was  present  in  that  meeting.  Said  information 
is  in  the  hands  of  the  author.)  The  majority  of  the  persons 
present  preferred   to    surrender    without    resistance;    the 


Col.  Kit  Carson. 
Path  Finder  and  Aiiierlcaii 


418  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

others  under  the  leadership  of  Don  Manuel  Chavez,  Don 
Miguel  E.  Pino,  Don  Nicolds  Pino,  Don  Tomas  C  de  Baca, 
and  a  lawyer  named  Inigo,  who  had  just  arrived'  from 
Mexico,  held  that  the  enemy  should  be  fought  against.  The 
later  were  able  to  prevail.  They  prepared  a  programme  in 
which  Messrs,  Pino  and  Baca  were  entrusted  to  take  charge, 
with  General  Armijo,  of  the  forces  which  should  repel  the 
enemy.  Said  programme  was  presented  to  General  Armijo 
who  approved  it  with  reluctance,  for,  as  the  reader  will 
afterwards  see,  when  the  supreme  moment  came,  he 
cowardly  abandoned  his  army,  and  therewith  surrendered 
the  Territory,  to  the  enemy.  This  was  on  the  7th  of  August, 
1846.  On  the  next  day  the  Governor  issued  the  following 
bombastic  proclamation: 

"The  Governor  and  Commandant  General  of  New  Mexico. 

"To  Its  Inhabitants: 
"Fellow  Patriots:  The  moment  has,  at  last,  come  when  the 
country  requires  from  her  sons,  the  unhmited  decision,  the 
reserveless  sacrifices,  which  circumstances,  extreme  under 
any  point  of  view,  claim  for  its  salvation.  The  troubles  with 
the  United  States  of  America,  managed  with  dignity  and 
decorum  by  the  Supreme  Magistrate  of  our  Republic,  have 
not  been  satisfactorily  concluded  as  demanded  by  the 
unquestionable  rights  of  Mexico  over  the  usurped  territory 
of  Texas,  and,  for  that  reason,  it  has  been  indispensably 
necessary  to  suspend  the  diplomatic  relations  with  the 
rejected  minister  and  envoy  extraordinary  from  the  North 
American  government;  but  the  forces  of  that  government 
are  advancing  on  this  department;  they  have  already  crossed 
the  line,  and  at  this  date  are  found  very  near  Colorado. 
Behold,  fellow  citizens,  the  invasion  is  the  sign  of  alarm  that 
must  prepare  us  for  the  combat.  The  eagle  that  summoned 
you  at  Iguala  under  the  national  standard  forming  a  single 
family  out  of  us  all,  with  one  single  will,  calls  on  you  today 
to  gather  around  the  supreme  government,  and  of  the  super- 
ior of  this  department  to  defend  the  most  just  and  holiest  of 
causes.  You  then  could  conquer  without  external  help,  led 
only  by  your  noble  efforts  and  heroic  patriotism,  the  inde- 
pendence   of    our  nation,  which  is  worthy  of  better  fate. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  419 

Today  that  sacred  boon,  the  fruit  of  so  many  and  so  costly 
sacritices,  is  threatened;  for,  if  we  are  not  able  to  preserve 
the  integrity  of  our  Territory,  all  this  country  would  very 
soon  be  the  prey  of  the  greed  and  enterprising  spirit  of  our 
neighbors  of  the  north,  and  nothing  would  remain  save  a  sad 
remembrance  of  our  political  existence. 

"But  for  God's  sake  it  must  not  be  sol  The  Mexicans  of 
today  are  yet  those  of  the  year  1810.  Divided  then,  and  even 
before  having  a  country,  they  dominated  the  arrogance  of 
a  foreign  and  powerful  government.  When  the  armed  force 
is  united  to  the  peoples,  and  both  defend  jointly  their  threat- 
ened independence,  the  outraged  national  honor  and  the 
scorned  rights  of  their  country,  they  form  by  their  union  a 
compact  and  invincible  whole.  I  incite  you,  my  fellow  citi- 
zens, and  fellow  patriots,  that  in  union  with  the  regular 
militaries,  you  strengthen  those  sentiments  of  union  and 
brotherly  harmony  with  your  arms  as  defenders  of  our  coun- 
try; for  only  this  sincere  union  can  lead  us  to  a  glorious  tri- 
umph, for  the  Author  and  Preserver  of  all  societies  left  written 
in  his  golden  book  these  decisive  words:  'A  house  divided 
against  itself  shall  fall."  Never  forget  this  sentence;  nor  do 
ever  separate  your  interests  from  the  common  cause,  for 
with  union,  resources,  public  spirit  and  genuine  patriotism 
will  follow.  I  assure  you  that  the  Mexican  Republic  will 
know  how  to  make  its  enemies  respect  us,  and  will  present 
to  the  civilized  world  the  brilliant  titles  it  possesses  in  order 
to  belong  to  free  and  enlightened  nations. 

"Be  prepared,  then,  my  fellow  patriots,  to  perform  the 
part  that  belongs  to  you  in  the  great  contest  to  which  the 
nation  now  calls  you.  We  happily  have  at  the  head  of  its 
supreme  administration  an  illustrious  general,  honorable  and 
patriotic,  who,  just  as  he  has  upheld  with  dignity  and  energy 
the  sacred  laws  of  his  country,  will  also  trace  for  us  a  road 
to  glory.  Let  us  be  ready  for  war  since  we  are  provoked  to 
it;  let  us  not  look  at  the  strength  and  power  of  our  enemies, 
nor  at  the  size  of  the  obstacles  we  have  to  overcome.  The  god 
of  armies  is  also  protector  of  the  justice  of  nations,  and,  with 
his  powerful  aid,  we  will  be  able  to  add  another  brilliant  page 
to  nhe  history  of  Mexico,  and  enhance  her  credit  before  the 
world  (if  it  be  possible,  for  no  one  is  obliged  to  do  what  is 


420  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

impossible)  which  our  country  deserves  to  enjoy ,  with  ttie 
title  of  a  free  and  independent  republic.  But  with  respect 
to  the  defense  of  the  department  in  the  actual  invasion, 
your  governor  is  dependent  upon  your  pecuniary  resources, 
upon  your  decision,  and  upon  your  convictions,  founded 
on  reason,  on  justice,  equity  and  public  convenience;  assuring 
you  that  he  who  actually  governs  you  is  ready  to  sacrifice 
his  life  and  interests  in  defense  of  his  beloved  country. 
All  this   you   will  see  fulfilled  by  your  chief,  fellow  patriot 

and  friend.  * 

"Manuel  Armijo.  (Seal). 
"Santa  Pe,  Saturday,  8th  of  August,  1846.'" 

Cook's  Secret  Interview — Emory's  Account. 

In  spite  of  the  high  sounding  proclamation  which  the 
reader  has  just  read,  Armijo  received  Captain  Cook  in  secret 
conference.  Cook  had  been  sent  by  Kearny,  that  being  the 
reason  why  some  writers  assert  that,  with  this  circumstance 
and  through  his  subsequent  conduct,  Armijo  proved  all  the 
words  of  his  proclamation  to  be  mere  bravados.  The  prepa- 
rations, followed,  however,  to  ostensibly  meet  the  enemy, 
about  which  we  will  give  a  complete  narrative  with  the  very 
words  of  Captain  Don  Rafael  Chacon,  residing  today  in  Tri- 
nidad, State  of  Colorado,  who  was  notonlyaneye  witness, 
but  though  of  tender  age,  at  that  time,  was  one  of  the  mili- 
taries, a  cadet  and  artillery  man;  nevertheless,  before  giving 
Captain  Don  Rafael  Chacon's  account,  the  author  deems  it  just 

*  The  original  of  this  important  document,  Armijo's  proclamation 
was  fortunately  found  by  the  author  of  this  work  very  recently. 
Nothing)-  was  known  of  its  existence  before.  Later,  on  August  10,  184(i, 
Armijo  formally  asked  the  departmental  assembly  to  appropriate  at 
least  one  thousand  dollars  to  enable  him  to  buy  provisions  for  the 
starving-  army.  The  assembly  in  its  session  of  that  day— which  was 
the  last  session  and  which  was  so  stormy  that  neither  its  officers  nor 
its  members  thought  of  signing  the  minutes— had  first  authorized  a 
forced  loan  of  $1,000.00  for  Armijo,  and  further,  authorized  him  to 
borrow  a  similar  sum  from  private  individuals,  but  finally  declined 
and  rescinded  its  own  resolution,  thus  leaving  Armijo  powerless  to 
feed  his  men  and  compelling  him  to  face  the  enemy  with  an  army  of 
hunger-dying  men.  No  wonder,  then,  that  he  deserted  the  field  of  honor 
ratiier  than  to  expose  his  men  to  inevitable  destruction.— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOIIY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  421 

and  necessary  to  give  the  exact  account  from  the  American 
side,  that  is,  the  account  which  Lieutenant  Emory,  ex-officio, 
gave  to  the  American  government  regarding  the  march  of 
the  army  and  the  taking  of  the  Territory.  The  reader 
will  thus  be  enabled  to  hear  from  the  lips  of  two  officials 
who  witnessed  the  consummation  of  the  memorable  event, 
both  in  distinct  positions  ready  to  struggle  for  their  respect- 
ive flags.  In  giving  the  account  of  that  important  transition 
which  marked  an  epoch  in  our  history,  the  author  follows  the 
method  which  he  has  adopted  from  the  beginning  of  this 
work,  that  is,  to  give,  in  every  case  possible,  the  original 
information,  completely  ignoring  the  conjectural  conclusions 
of  other  writers,  so  that  the  reader  may  be  able  to  receive  his 
information  from  the  very  source  and  thence  form  his  own 
opinion. 

Report  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Emory. 

As  an  original  document,  almost  entirely  unknown,  and  of 
great  historical  value,  we  insert,  in  the  sequel,  the  diary  and 
report  of  Lieutenant  Col.  W.  H.  Emory,  of  the  corps  of  topo- 
graphical engineers,  who  accompanied  the  army  of  Col. 
Kearny  when  he  came  to  effect  the  annexation  of  New 
Mexico.  The  portion  we  reproduce  relates  particularly  to 
the  march  as  far  as  Santa  Fe  and  the  principal  incidents  that 
happened  in  the  transit.     Emory  speaks: 

"August  2,  1846.  —  I  looked  in  the  direction  of  Bent's  Fort, 
and  saw  a  huge  United  States  flag  flowing  to  the  breeze  and 
straining  every  fibre  of  an  ash  pole  planted  over  the  center  of 
the  gate.  The  mystery  was  soon  revealed  by  a  column  of 
dust  to  the  east,  advancing  with  about  the  velocity  of  a  fast 
walking  horse — it  was  the  'Army  of  the  West.'  1  ordered 
my  horses  to  be  hitched  up,  and,  as  the  column  passed,  took 
my  place  with  the  staff. 

"A  little  below  the  fort  the  river  was  forded  without  dif- 
ficulty, being  paved  with  well  attritioned  pebbles  of  the 
primitive  rock  and  not  more  than  knee  deep. 

"Colonel  Doniphan  was  ordered  to  pursue  the  Arkansas 
to  near  the  mouth  of  the  Timpas,  and  rejoin  the  army  by  fol- 
lowing the  bed  of  that  stream. 

"Along  the  Arkansas  the  principal  growth  consists  of  very 


422  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

coarse  grass  and  few  cottonwoods  and  willows.  Our  march 
was  26  miles,  that  of  the  army  37;  the  last  20  miles  without 
water. 

"The  artillery  arrived  about  11  p.  m.;both  men  and  horses 
were  parched  with  thirst.  The  teamsters,  who  had  to 
encounter  the  dust,  suffered  very  much.  When  water  was 
near,  they  sprang  from  their  seats  and  ran  for  it  like  mad 
men.     Two  horses  sank  under  this  day's  march. 

"August  3.— We  ascended  the  Timpas  six  and  three 
quarter  miles,  and  halted  for  the  day  near  running  water; 
the  grass  was  burned  dry,  and  not  a  green  sprig  to  be  seen. 
Colonel  Doniphan's  division  passed  our  camp  about  4  p.  m. 

"August  4. — The  road  wound  through  the  valley  of  the 
Timpas.  The  soil  being  impregnated  with  lime,  rendered 
the  dust,  which  rose  in  dense  columns,  distressing. 

"Thirteen  miles"  march  brought  us  to  the  crossing  of  the 
Timpas.  The  only  water  we  found  there  was  in  a  hole  thirt^^ 
feet  in  diameter,  into  which  the  men  rushed  with  great 
eagerness,  disturbing  the  vegetable  deposit  formed  on  its 
surface,  and  thereby  rendering  it  unfit  for  use.  Nine  miles 
further  we  came  to 'the  hole  on  the  Rocke'— a  large  hole 
filled  with  stagnant,  though  drinkable,  water. 

"We  reached  'the  hole  in  the  prairie"  at  10  p.  m.,  the  dis- 
tance being  3  44^  miles,  and  found  grass,  as  we  expected;  we 
were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  water  also.  The  night 
was  delicious  and  all  slept  in  the  open  air.  The  infantry  was 
encamped  here. 

"August  5. — Today  we  descended  eleven  and  a  half  miles 
and  reached  the  valley  of  the  Purgatory,  called  by  the  moun- 
tain men 'the  Picatoire,"  a  corruption  of  Purgatoire,  a  swift 
running  stream  a  few  yards  in  width,  but  no  grass  of  any 
amount  at  the  crossing.  The  blighted  trunks  of  large  Cot- 
tonwood and  locust  trees  were  seen  along  its  course.  At  five 
miles  and  a  half  we  encamped  on  the  bed  of  a  tributary  to 
the  Purgatoire,  which  comes  down  from  the  north  side  of 
the  Raton  range. 

"Captain  Cooke  of  the  first  dragoons  was  sent  ahead  the 
day  before  yesterday,  to  sound  Armijo.  Mr.  Liffendorfer,  a 
trader,  married  to  a  Santa  Pt^  lady,  was  sent  in  the  direction 
of  Taos,  with  two  Pueblo  Indians  to  feel  the  pulse  of  the 


ILLUSTKATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  42Ji 

Pueblos  and  the  Mexican  citizens,  and,  probably,  to  buy 
wheat,  if  any  could  be  purchased,  and  to  distribute  procla- 
mations of  the  colonel  commanding.  Yesterday  William 
Bent  and  six  others,  forming  a  spy  guard  were  sent  forward 
to  reconnoitre  the  mountain  passes. 

"August  6. — Colonel  Kearny  left  Colonel  Doniphan's  regi- 
ment and  Major  Clarke's  artillery  at  our  old  camp  ground 
last  night,  and  scattered  Sumner's  dragoons  three  or  four 
miles  up  the  creek  to  pass  the  day  in  renovating  the  animals 
by  nips  at  the  little  bunches  of  grass  spread  at  intervals  in 
the  valley.  This  being  done,  we  commenced  the  ascent  of 
the  Raton,  and  after  marching  seventeen  miles,  halted,  with 
the  infantry  and  general  staff  within  a  half  mile  of  the 
summit  of  the  pass.  Strong  parties  were  sent  forward  to 
repair  the  road  which  winds  through  a  picturesque  valley 
with  the  Raton  towering  to  the  left. 

■'An  express  returned  from  the  spy  guard  which  reported 
all  clear  in  front.  Capt  Cooke,  and  Mr.  Liffendorfer  have 
onl}^  reached  the  Canadian  river. 

'•August  7.  Camp  36 We  recommenced  the  ascent  of  the 

Raton,  which  we  reached  with  ease,  with  our  wagons  in 
about  two  miles.  The  height  of  this  point  above  the  sea,  as 
indicated  by  the  barometer,  is  7,500  feet. 

"The  descent  is  much  more  rapid  than  the  ascent,  and,  for 
the  first  few  miles  through  a  valley  of  good  burned  grass 
and  stagnant  water,  containing  many  beautiful  flowers. 
But  frequently  you  come  to  a  place  where  the  stream  (a 
branch  of  the  Canadian)  has  worked  itself  through  the 
mountains  and  the  road  has  to  ascend  and  then  descend  a 
sharp  spur.  Here  the  difficulties  commence;  and  the  road 
for  three  or  four  miles,  is  just  passable  for  a  wagon;  many  of 
the  train  were  broken  in  the  passage.  A  few  thousand 
dollars  judiciously  expended  here  would  be  an  immense 
saving  to  the  government,  if  the  Santa  Fe  country  is  to  be 
permanently  occupied  and  Bent's  Fort  road  adopted.  A 
few  miles  from  the  summit  we  reached  a  wide  valley  where 
the  mountains  open  out  and  the  inhospitable  looking  hills 
recede  to  a  respectable  distance  right  and  left.  Sixteen 
miles  from  camp  36  brought  us  to  the  main  branch  of  the 
Canadian,  a  slow  running  stream  discharging  a  volume  of 


424  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

water  the  thickness  of  a  man's  Vv'aist.  We  found  here  Bent's 
camp. 

"To-day  we  commenced  our  half  ration  bread;  though  not 
suffering  for  meat,  we  are  anxious  to  seize  on  Santa  Fe  and 
its  stock  of  provisions  as  soon  as  possible. 

"Augusts. — We  remained  in  camp  all  day  to  allow  Colonel 
Doniphan's  regiment  and  artillery  to  come  up. 

"August  9. — We  broke  up  camp  at  2:30  o'clock,  and 
marched  with  the  Colonel's  staff  and  the  first  dragoons  104 
miles,  and  encamped  under  the  mountains  on  the  western  side 
of  the  Canadian  on  the  banks  of  a  small  stream  tributary  to  the 
Canadian.  At  a  distance  of  six  miles  from  last  night's  camp 
the  road  forks, one  fork  running  near  the  mountains  to  the 
west,  but  nearly  parallel  to  the  old  road,  and  never  dis- 
tant more  than  four  miles,  and  almost  all  the  tim.e  in  sight 
of  it.  The  army  was  divided,  the  artillery,  infantry,  and 
wagon  train  ordered  to  take  the  lower,  and  the  Missouri 
volunteers  and  first  dragoons,  the  upper  road.  The  valley 
here  opens  out  into  an  extensive  plain,  slightly  rolling, 
flanked  on  each  side  by  ranges  of  perpendicular  hills  covered 
with  stunted  cedar  and  the  pinon.  In  this  extensive  valley 
or  plain  may  be  traced  by  the  eye,  from  any  of  the  neigh- 
boring heights,  the  valleys  of  the  Canadian  and  its  tributaries 
the  Vermejo,  the  Pofiil,  the  small  Cimarron,  the  Rayado,  and 
the  Ocate  We  saw  troops  of  antelopes,  horses,  deer,  etc., 
etc. 

"August  10. — Colonel  Kearny  being  dissatistied  with  the 
upper  road  determined  to  strike  for  the  old  road.  We  did  so 
after  reaching  the  Vermejo,  94  miles  in  a  diagonal  line,  and 
rejoined  it  at  the  crossing  of  the  little  Cimarron  where  we 
found  the  infantry  encamped — total  distance — 201  miles.  A 
Mexican  came  into  camp  from  Bent's  Fort  and  reported 
Lieutenant  Albert  much  better.  Colonel  Kearny  allowed 
him  to  pass  to  Taos,  which  place  (60  miles  distant  by  a  bridle 
path)  he  expected  to  reach  to-night.  The  colonel  sent  by 
him  copies  of  his  proclamation.  Five  Mexicans  were  cap- 
tured by  Bent's  spy  company;  they  were  sent  out  to  recon- 
noitre our  forces,  with  orders  to  detain  all  persons  passing 
out  of  New  Mexico.  They  were  mounted  on  diminutive 
asses. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  425 

"Mr.  Towle,  an  American  citizen,  came  to  headquarters  at 
the  Vermejo,  and  reported  himself  just  escaped  from  Taos. 
He  brought  the  intelhgence  that,  yesterday,  the  proclamation 
of  Governor  Armijo  reached  there,  calling  the  citizens  to 
arms,  and  placing  the  whole  country  under  martial  law; 
that  Armijo  has  assembled  all  the  pueblo  Indians,  number- 
ing about  two  thousand,  and  all  the  citizens  capable  of 
bearing  arms;  that  three  hundred  Mexican  dragoons  arrived 
in  Santa  F6  the  day  Armijo's  proclamation  was  issued,  and 
that  twelve  hundred  more  were  hourly  expected;  that  the 
Mexicans  to  a  man  were  anxious  for  a  tight,  but  that  half  of 
the  pueblo  Indians  were  indifferent  on  the  subject,  but 
would  be  made  to  tight. 

"We  made  a  long  march  today  with  the  advance  guard  and 
the  tirst  dragoons,  to  the  Ocate.  Matters  are  now  becoming 
very  interesting.  Six  or  eight  Mexicans  were  captured  last 
night,  and  on  their  persons  were  found  the  proclamation  of 
the  Prefect  of  Taos,  based  upon  that  of  Armijo  calling  the 
citizens  to  arms  to  repel  the  'Americans  who  were  coming  to 
invade  their  soil  and  to  destroy  their  property  and  liberties,' 
ordering  an  enrollment  of  all  the  citizens  over  15  and  under 
50.  It  is  decidedly  less  bombastic  than  any  Mexican  paper 
I  have  seen.  Colonel  Kearny  assembled  these  prisoners, 
altogether  some  ten  or  twelve,  made  a  speech  to  them,  and 
ordered  that,  when  the  rear  guard  of  the  army  should  have 
passed,  the}^  should  be  released.  These  men  were  not  de- 
ficient in  form  or  stature;  their  faces  expressed  good  nature 
bordering  on  idiocy;  they  were  mounted  on  little  donkies  and 
jennies,  guided  by  clubs  instead  of  bridles. 

"Two  more  Mexicans  of  a  better  class  were  captured  to- 
night, or  rather,  they  came  into  camp.  Their  story  was,  that 
they  hadcorae  out  by  order  of  the  alcalde  of  Mora  Town  to  look 
out  for  their  standing  enemies,  the  Yutas  who  were  reported 
in  the  neighborhood.  That  they  had  heard  of  our  advance 
sometime  since,  but  believed  us  to  be  at  the  Rayado,  22  miles 
back;  but  seeing  our  wagons,  and  having  faith  in  the  Amer- 
icans, they  rode  without  hesitation  into  our  camp.  When 
they  said  they  had  faith  in  us,  the  Colonel  ordered  them  to 
shake  hands  with  him.  They  were  ordered  to  be  detained  a 
day  or  two,  for  it  was  quite  evident  to  all,  they   were  spies 


426  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

who  had  come  too  suddenly  into  the  httle  ravine  in  which  we 
were  encamped.  They  appeared  well  pleased,  and -one  of 
them,  after  proceeding  a  few  steps  with  the  guard,  turned 
back  and  presented  the  colonel  with  a  fresh  cream  cheese. 

"August  12. — The  elder  Mexican  was  discharged,  giving 
him  two  proclamations;  one  for  the  alcalde,  another  for  the 
people  of  his  town.  A  message  was  sent  to  the  alcalde  to 
meet  us  at  the  crossing  of  the  Mora  with  several  of  his  chief 
men.  The  other  Mexican  was  detained  as  a  guide.  About 
twelve  o'clock  the  advance  was  sounded,  and  the  colonel, 
with  Sumner's  command  marched  20  miles,  and  halted  in  a 
beautiful  valley  of  fine  grass  and  pools  of  cool  water. 

"August  13 — At  12  o'clock  we  were  off,  and  we  had  not 
advanced  more  than  a  mile,  when  Bent  came  up  with  four 
prisoners.  They  represented  themselves  to  be  an  ensign 
and  three  privates  of  the  Mexican  army,  sent  forward  to 
reconnoitre  and  ascertain  our  force.  They  said  600  men 
were  at  the  Vegas  to  give  us  battle.  They  told  many  different 
stories,  and  finally  delivered  up  a  paper,  being  an  order 
from  a  Captain  Gonzales  to  the  ensign  to  go  forward  on  the 
Benfs  Port  road  to  ascertain  our  position  and  numbers. 
They  were  cross-examined  by  the  Colonel  and  detained. 

"We  commenced  the  descent  into  the  valley  of  the  Mora 
creek,  and  six  miles  of  march  brought  us  to  the  first  settle- 
ment we  had  seen  in  775  miles.  There  lived  an  American, 
named  Boney,  who  has  been  sometime  in  the  country,  and  is 
the  owner  of  a  large  number  of  horses  and  cattle.  He  drove 
his  herd  of  cattle  into  camp  and  picked  out  the  largest  and 
fattest,  which  he  presented  to  the  army. 

"Two  miles  below  at  the  junction  of  the  Mora  and  Sapello, 
is  another  American,  Mr.  Wells.     We  halted  at  the  Sapello. 

"At  this  place,  Mr.  Spry  came  into  camp  on  foot,  and  with 
scarcely  any  clothing  He  had  escaped  from  Santa  F6  the 
night  previous,  at  Mr.  H — "s  request,  to  inform  Colonel  Kearny 
that  Armijo's  forces  were  assembling;  that  he  might  expect 
vigorous  resistance,  and  that  a  place  called  Canon,  15  miles 
from  Santa  Fe,  was  being  fortified;  and  to  advise  the  colonel 
to  go  round  it.  The  caiion  is  a  narrow  detile  easily  defended, 
and  of  which  we  have  heard  a  great  deal.  War  now  seems 
"inevitable,"'  and   the  advantages  of  ground   and   numbers 


ILLUSTKATKl)    HISTOliV    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  4l'7 

will,  no  doubt,  enable  the  Mexicans  to  make  the  ti^ht  inter- 
esting. 

"August  14. — The  order  of  march  today  was  that  which 
could  be  easily  converted  into  the  order  of  battle.  After 
proceeding  a  few  miles  we  met  a  ([ueer  cavalcade,  which  we 
supposed  at  tirst  to  be  the  looked  for  alcalde  of  Mora  town, 
but  it  proved  to  be  a  messenger  from  Armijo — a  lieutenant, 
accompanied  by  a  sergeant  and  two  privates  of  Mexican  lan- 
cers. They  brought  a  letter  from  Armijo.  It  was  a  sen- 
sible, straightforward  missive,  and,  if  written  by  an  Amer- 
ican, or  an  Englishman,  would  have  meant  this:  'You  have 
notified  me  that  you  intend  to  take  possession  of  the  country 
I  govern.  The  people  of  the  country  have  risen  en  masse  in 
my  defense.  If  you  take  the  country,  it  will  be  because  you 
prove  the  stronger  in  battle.  I  suggest  to  you  to  stop  at 
Sapello,  and  I  will  march  to  Las  Vegas.  We  will  meet  and 
negotiate  on  the  plains  between  them."  The  colonel 
answered:  'The  road  to  Santa  Fe  is  now  as  free  to  you  as 
myself.  Say  to  General  Armijo  I  shall  soon  meet  him,  and  I 
hope  it  will  be  as  friends."  Captain  Turner  was  sent  to  the 
village  to  inform  the  alcalde  that  the  colonel  wished  to  see 
him  and  the  head  men  of  the  town.  In  a  short  time  down 
came  the  alcalde  and  two  captains  of  militia  with  numerous 
servants. 

"August  15. — Twelve  o'clock  last  night  information  was 
received  that  600  men  had  collected  at  the  pass  \\hich 
debouches  into  the  Vegas,  two  miles  distant,  and  were  to 
oppose  our  march.  In  tie  morning  orders  were  given  to 
prepare  to  meet  the  enemy.     At  7  o'clock  the  army  moved. 

"At  eight  precisely,  the  general  was  in  the  public  square, 
where  he  was  met  by  the  alcalde  and  people;  many  of  whom 
were  mounted,  for  these  people  seem  to  live  on  horseback. 

"The  general  spoke  as  follows:  'Mr.  Alcalde  and  people  of 
New  Mexico:  I  have  come  amongst  you  by  orders  of  my 
government  to  take  possession  of  your  country  and  extend 
over  it  the  laws  of  the  United  States.  We  come  amongst  you 
as  friends— not  as  enemies;  as  protectors — not  as  conquerors. 
We  come  among  you  for  your  benefit — not  for  your   injury. 

"  'Henceforth,  I  absolve  you  from  all  allegiance  to  the 
Mexican  government,  and   all  obedience  to  General  Armijo. 


428  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

He  is  no  longer  your  governor;  (great  sensation)  I  am  your 
governor.  I  shall  not  expect  from  you  to  take  up  arms,  and 
follow  me,  to  fight  your  own  people  who  may  oppose  me;  but 
I  now  tell  you,  that  those  who  remain  peaceably  at  home 
attending  to  their  crops  and  their  herds  shall  be  protected  by 
me  in  their  property,  their  persons,  and  their  religions  and 
not  a  pepper,  or  an  onion  shall  be  disturbed  or  taken  by  my 
troops  without  pay  or  without  the  consent  of  the  owner. 
But  listen!  He,  who  promises  to  be  quiet,  and  is  found  in 
arms  against  me,  I  shall  hang. 

"  'From  the  Mexican  Government  you  have  never  received 
protection.  The  Apaches  and  the  Navajoes  come  down  from 
the  mountains  and  carried  offyojr  sheep,  and  even  your 
women,  whenever  they  please.  My  government  will  correct 
all  this.  It  will  keep  off  the  Indians,  protect  you  in  your 
persons  and  property,  and  I  repeat  again,  will  protect  you  in 
your  religion.  I  know  you  are  ail  great  Catholics;  that  some 
of  your  priests  have  told  you  all  sorts  of  stories — that  we 
should  ill-treat  your  women  and  brand  them  on  the  cheek,  as 
you  do  your  mules  on  the  hip.  It  is  all  false.  My  govern- 
ment respects  your  religion  as  much  as  the  Protestant  reli- 
gion and  allows  each  man  to  worship  his  Creator  as  his  heart 
tells  him  is  best.  Its  laws  protect  the  Catholic  as  well  as 
the  Protestant;  the  weak  as  well  as  the  strong;  the  poor  as 
well  as  the  rich.  I  am  net  a  Catholic  myself-  -I  was  not 
brought  up  in  that  faith;  but  at  least  one  third  of  my  army 
are  Catholics,  and  I  respect  a  good  Catholic,  as  much  as  a 
good  Protestant.  There  goes  my  army — you  see  but  a  small 
portion  of  it — there  are  many  more  behind — resistance  is 
useless. 

"  'Mr.  Alcalde,  and  you  two  captains  of  militia,  the  laws  of 
my  country  require  that  all  men  who  hold  ofiice  under  it 
should  take  oath  of  allegiance.  I  do  not  wish  for  the  pre- 
sent, until  afi'airs  become  more  settled,  to  disturb  your  form 
of  government,  I  shall  continue  you  in  office  and  support  you 
in  authority.' 

"This  was  a  bitter  pill;  but  it  was  swallowed  with  down  cast 
eyes.  The  general  remarked  to  him  in  hearing  of  all  the 
people:  'Captain  look  me  in  the  face  while  you  repeat  the 
oath  of  office.'     The  hint  was   understood;   the  oath  taken, 


ILLUSTRATF.n    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  429 

and  the  alcalde  and  two  captains  pronounced  to  be  continued 
in  office. 

"We  continued  our  march  with  flags  unfurled  and  in  order 
of  battle  to  encounter  the  000  Mexicans  on  the  gorge  of  the 
mountains  two  miles  distant,  but  the  notice  was  false,  fcr  we 
met  nothing. 

"August  16. — We  marched  to  San  Miguel  where  General 
Kearny  assembled  the  people  and  harangued  them  much  the 
same  way  as  at  Las  Vegas. 

"Reports  now  reached  us  at  every  step,  that  the  people  were 
rising,  and  that  Armijo  was  collecting  a  formidable  force  to 
oppose  our  march.  Two  Pueblo  Indians  previously  sent  in 
to  sound  the  chief  men  of  that  formidable  tribe  were  seen  in 
the  distance  at  full  speed  and  one  of  them  reported  that 
Armijo  with  his  forces  was  intrenched  at  the  canon. 

"August  17. — The  picket  guards  stationed  on  the  road  cap- 
tured the  son  of  Saliza,  who,  it  is  said,  is  to  play  an 
important  part  in  the  defense  of  this  country. 

"A  rumor  has  reached  camp,  that  the  2000  Mexicans 
assembled  in  the  canon  to  oppose  us,  have  quarrelled  among 
themselves;  that  Armijo,  taking  advantage  of  the  dissensions, 
fled  with  his  dragoons  and  artillery  to  the  south. 

"He  has  long  been  suspected  of  wishing  an  excuse  to  fly. 
It  is  well  known  he  has  been  averse  to  a  battle,  but  some  of 
his  people  threatened  his  life  if  he  refused  to  fight." 

Here  we  shall  break  the  narrative  of  Lieutenant  Emory  to 
take  a  glance  at  what  was  going  on  in  the  camp  of  the  Mexican 
army.  As  the  reader  will  afterwards  see  in  the  account  given 
by  Captain  Chacon,  Armijo  found  himself  with  an  army  devoid 
of  discipline,  without  ammunitions  of  war,  without  food, 
unarmed,  with  his  men  divided,  fighting  among  themselves, 
and,  above  all,  without  patriotism; — a  situation,  indeed,  pro- 
foundly alarming,  especially  when  he  had  to  cope  against  an 
army  plentifully  provisioned  and  highly  patriotic.  These 
were  powerful  reasons  to  induce  Armijo  to  take  to  flight,  a 
thing  he  did  leaving  his  army  in  complete  disorder.  In  the 
city,  Don  Juan  Bautista  Vigil  had  remained  as  secretary  of 
government,  who,  through  the  effect  of  the  same  law,  imme- 
diately after  the  flight  of  Armijo  assumed  the  charge  as 
governor  ad  interim.     It  is  not  known  how  the   proclamation 


430  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

issued  by  Kearny  at  Bent's  Fort  on  July  31,  1846,  to  the 
inhabitants  of  New  Mexico,  reached  the  hands  of  Vigil,  In 
that  proclamation  Kearny  made  it  known  that  he  came  to  take 
the  Territory  in  the  name  of  his  government  as  a  friend,  not 
as  an  enemy,  and  it  is  also  certain  that,  as  an  affair  prear- 
ranged and  predetermined  between  Armijo,  Kearny  and 
Vigil,  the  proclamation  was  in  Santa  Fe.  As  soon  as  Vigil 
heard  of  the  flight  of  Armijo,  he  issued  a  proclamation  advis- 
ing all  the  residents  in  the  city  to  remain  in  their  homes 
assuring  them  that  the  American  army,  by  reason  of  Armijo's 
flight,  would  take  possession  of  the  Territory,  and  as  that 
army  was  not  composed  of  cruel  and  savage  men,  they  would 
receive  ample  protection  from  said  army  in  their  persons, 
their  lives  and  their  properties,  displaying  at  the  same  time 
Kearny's  proclamation.  That  document,  or  proclamation  of 
Vigil,  as  well  as  Kearny's  proclamation,  had  not  been  seen  in 
history,  no  one  knowing  their  whereabouts;  but  fortunately 
they  came  to  the  hands  of  the  author  of  this  work,  together 
with  other  documents  of  equal  historical  value  in  the  nick  of 
time  to  be  inserted  in  this  work.  We  give  below  said  procla- 
mation; the  pi(;ture  of  which  is  published  in  another  part  of 
this  work. 

VigiFs  Proclamation. 

"Juan  Bautista  Vigil  y  Alarid,  political  and  military  gov- 
ernor ad  interim  of  the  Department  of  New  Mexico,  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Capital,  Santa  Fe,  know  ye:  That  notwith- 
standing the  means  I  have  set  in  motion,  it  has  not  been 
possible  for  me  to  calm  the  fears  which  the  flight  of  General 
Armijo  has  infused  in  its  inhabitants,  the  desertion  of  his 
soldiers,  or,  that  which  is  more,  and  the  dread  that  has  been 
caused  because  of  the  approach  of  the  military  forces  of  the 
government  of  the  United  States  of  North  America  to  this 
Capital;  and,  whereas  many  families  are  leaving  their  homes 
in  order  to  hide  in  the  deserts,  as  if  said  forces  were  com- 
posed of  cruel  and  sanguinary  savages,  believing  that  they 
will  have  no  security,  no  protection  of  their  lives  and  interests 
on  the  part  of  the  chief  who  commands  that  army,  and  in 
order  to  quiet  these  fears  down,  I  have  been  pleased  to  com- 
mand that  the  proclamation  of  the  said  chief  of  said  forces  be 


ILLUSTKATEn    HISTORY    OP    NKW    MEXICO.  431 

fixed  on  the  public  places,  which  proclamation  is  of  the  fol- 
lowing tenor:  'Proclamation  of  Colonel  Kearny,  commandant 
of  the  forces  of  the  United  States  of  America  to  the  citizens 
of  New  Mexico.  The  undersigned  enters  New  Mexico  with 
a  great  military  force  with  the  object  of  seeking  union  and  to 
ameliorate  the  condition  of  its  inhabitants;  he  does  all  this 
by  instructions  of  his  government  by  which  he  will  be  effica- 
ciously sustained  in  order  to  carry  into  effect  its  views. 
He,  therefore,  recommends  the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico  to 
remain  tranquil  in  their  homes  and  continue  in  their  peace- 
able avocations  and  labors,  with  the  assurance  that  while  they 
continue  their  daily  occupations  and  labors,  they  will  not  be 
molested  b}^  the  American  army,  but  on  the  contrary,  they 
will  be  respected  and  protected  in  all  their  rights,  both  civil 
and  religious.  All  those  who  shall  take  arms,  and  encourage 
and  recommend  resistance  to  the  government  of  the  United 
States  will  be  looked  upon  as  enemies  and  treated  accord- 
ingly. Camp  at  Benfs  Fort,  July  81,  1840.  Yours  truly, 
Kearny,  colonelof  the  1st  Dragoons.' 

'It  is  a  copy  of  the  original,  Santa  Pe,  August  17,  1846. 

"Juan  Bautista  Vigil  y  Alarid.  (Seal). 

"Nicolas  Quintana,  Sec'y.,  (Seal). 

"Miguel  Gorilla.  (Seal). 

"Miguel  Antonio."'  (Seal). 

Captain  Rafael  Chacon's  Letter. 

Let  us  now  see  the  picture  given  us  by  Captain  D.  Rafael 
Chdcon,  of  what  passed  in  the  camp  of  Armijo  immediately 
before  his  flight.  In  a  letter  dated  at  Trinidad,  May  4th, 
1910,  addressed  to  the  author  of  this  work  by  said  Captain 
Chdcon,  the  following  account  is  given: — 

"Trinidad,   Colo.,  May  4th,  1910'" 
"Hon.  Benj.  M.  Read,  Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 

"My  esteemed  friend- — Honoring  your  request,  as  per 
your  letter  to  my  son,  I  herewith  give  you  a  statement  of 
what  I  recall  concerning  the  taking  of  New  Mexico  by  the 
Americans.  At  that  time,  I  w^as  incapable  of  estimating 
mens  actions.  I  was  a  child;  when  I  reached  mature  age  I 
cast  a  glance   back  to  that  event  and  what  first  struck  my 


432  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

imagination  was  that  the  conquering  army  came  provided 
with  everything  that  was  necessary  for  the  conquest.  Gen- 
eral A  rmi  jo  and  our  poor  people  had  no  other  resource  than 
that  of  ^'going  to  fight,''  being  used  to  the  summons  for  a 
campaign  against  the  savage  Indians,  to  prepare  their 
arrows,  lances  etc.,  provide  themselves  with  some  provisions 
and  report  ready  to  obey  orders.  What  could  Armijo  do 
with  an  undisciplined  army  without  any  military  training, 
without  commissary  resources,  and  without  leaders  to 
direct  the  men?  He  was  a  dwarf  against  a  giant.  Armijo  was 
the  imaginary  hero  of  that  epoch.  Had  he  rashly  rushed  to 
give  battle,  it  would  have  been  equivalent  to  offer  his  troops 
as  victims  to  the  invading  army;  the  result  would  have  been 
a  useless  effusion  of  blood,  offering  himself  unnecessarily 
to  death.  I  was  incapable  of  knowing  my  artillery  men,  did 
not  know  whether  or  not  they  could  maneuvre  nor  do 
I  remember  who  they  were.  The  guerrillas  which  Armijo 
sent  out  to  observe  the  advance  of  the  enemy  brought  infor- 
mation back  to  him  of  how  well  provided  and  equipped  they 
came  and  of  the  perfect  order  they  kept  in  their  march, 
being  a  well  disciplined  army.  It  was  then  he  realized  that 
he  could  not  give  them  battle,  nor  capitulate  without  effusion 
of  blood,  either  with  the  enemy  or  with  his  own  people  who 
had  already  attempted  a  revolt  as  will  be  seen  in  the  follow- 
ing extract: — 

"In  order  to  gratify  my  son,  Eusebio,  1  wrote  in  1906  part 
of  my  memoirs  and  thence  I  copy  what  follows:  In  August, 
1846,  General  Armijo  ordered  my  father  (Don  Albino  Chdcon 
Judge  of  the  first  instance)  to  call  out  the  militia  and  Indian 
pueblos  to  go  out  and  meet  the  American  forces  that  were 
coming  to  take  possession  of  New  Mexico.  My  father 
asked  him  to  excuse  me  because  I  was  scarcely  13  years 
old;  the  general  answered,  'no,  sir,  he  is  a  cadet,  and  is, 
therefore,  subject  to  the  ordnances,  and  he  is  a  military 
officer,  and,  therefore,  must  go  to  the  front.'  The  disci- 
pline of  that  time  will  be  judged  by  the  historical  episode  of 
Chapultepec  where  the  alumni  of  the  military  school,  many 
of  my  own  age,  died  defending  their  country  against  the 
American  troops  in  the  taking  of  Mexico. 

"Armijo  placed  at  my  disposal  a  piece  of  light  artillery  with 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  433 

its  equipage  and  artillery-men  under  my  orders;  we  marched 
to  Cafloncito  de  los  Apaches,  where  10,000  militia  men 
must  have  been  assembled,  Pueblo  Indians,  and  the  com- 
panies of  Santa  F6,  Taos,  El  Bado,  and  the  squadron  of 
driigoons  from  Vera  Cruz,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Don  Pedro  Mufioz  (the  same  man  who  routed  the  canton  at 
Pojoaque,  and  executed  the  provincial  Governor,  Gonzales.) 

"One  day  there  was  a  disagreement  among  the  militia  men 
and,  in  a  moment,  we  were  ready  to  fight  one  an  other.  The 
mutiny  was  soon  appeased,  and  we  began  to  build  barricades 
of  branches  of  pine  trees  and  elm.  This  work  lasted  three 
days,  when,  all  of  a  sudden,  Armijo  ordered  all  the  men  to  go 
back  to  their  homes,  saying  that  he  would  go  to  the  front 
with  the  regular  companies  and  the  squadron  of  Vera  Cruz. 
All  now  became  confusion,  each  one  took  the  horse  he  liked 
best  and  everything  he  could  carry  along.  My  father  came 
in  great  hurry  with  the  servant  he  had  as  his  assistant,  gave 
me  a  pair  of  pistols,  made  us  each  mount  a  horse,  signaled 
us  to  a  place  upon  the  mesa  where  we  should  wait  for  him; 
ordered  me  not  to  allow  any  one  to  join  us,  and  that,  should 
any  one  insist  on  doing  it  to  tire  on  him  or  them.  There  we 
stood  watching  the  confusion  of  that  multitude;  some  men 
overcome  with  fatigue  arrived  at  the  place  we  were  standing 
and  wished  to  join  us,  but  following  my  father's  instructions, 
I  made  them  stand  back  threatening  to  lire  on  them.  They 
retired  for  fear  that  I  would  keep  my  word.  My  father 
arrived  at  about  dusk,  he  led  us  through  the  sierra,  we 
reached  Santa  F6  at  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and, 
at  that  hour,  he  sent  me  over  to  Chamisal,  County  of  Taos,  to 
the  house  of  my  aunt  Inez,  sister  to  my  father.  Before 
reaching  Chimayo,  a  courier  overtook  us,  to  tell  me  to 
remain  there  in  the  house  of  an  aunt  of  my  father. 

"I  hope  this  may  be  of  some  service  to  you,  and  I  shall 
take  satisfaction  in  honoring  your  wishes." 

Your  Friend, 

Rafael  Chacon." 

Before  resuming  the  consideration  of  Emory's  narration 
the  author  deems  it  proper  to  present  to  the  reader  the 
message  sent  to  Governor  Armijo  "oy   General  Kearny  from 


434  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Camp  Bent.  The  reader  has  already  been  told  by  Emory 
that  Captain  Cook  had  been  sent  "day  before  yesterday  to 
sound  Armijo."'  It  was  Captain  Cook,  then,  who  took  the 
following  communication  from  Kearny  to  Armijo  (the  original 
is  the  possession  of  the  author.)  That  famous  mission  reads 
thus: — 

Kearny's  Secret  Communication  to  Armijo. 

_  "Headquarters  of  the  Army  of  the  West." 

In  Camp  Upon  the  Arkansas,  at  Fort  Bent,  August  1,  1846. 

Sir:  By  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the  United  States,  the 
the  Rio  Grande  from  its  delta  to  its  source,  forms  now  the 
boundary  line  between  them  (the  United  States  and  Mexico) 
and  I  am  coming  by  order  of  my  Government  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  country  over  a  part  of  which  you  are  presiding  as 
governor.  I  come  as  a  friend  and  with  the  disposition  and 
intention  to  consider  all  the  Mexicans  and  other  inhabitants 
as  friends  if  they  should  remain  quietly  and  peaceably  in 
their  homes  attending  to  their  own  affairs.  All  such  persons 
shall  not  be  molested  by  any  of  those  who  are  coming  under 
my  orders  in  their  person  nor  in  their  property  nor  in  their 
religion.     I  pledge  myself  to  the  fulfilment  of  these  promises. 

"I  come  to  this  part  of  the  United  States  with  a  strong 
military  force,  and  a  still  stronger  one  is  following  us  as  a 
reinforcement.  I  have  more  troops  than  I  need  to  overcome 
any  opposition  which  you  ma^^^  be  able  to  make  against  us, 
and  for  that  reason  and  for  the  sake  of  humanity  I  advise 
you  to  submit  to  fate,  and  to  consider  me  with  the  same 
sentiments  of  peace  and  friendship  which  I  have  and  protest 
for  you  and  those  under  your  government.  Should  you  Excel- 
lency do  this  it  would  be  eminently  favorable  to  your  interest 
and  that  of  all  your  countrymen,  and  you  will  receive  their 
blessings  and  prayers.  If,  on  the  contrary,  you  should 
decide  otherwise,  if  you  should  make  up  your  mind  to  make 
resistance  and  to  oppose  us,  with  such  troops  as  you  may  be 
able  to  raise  against  us,  in  that  event,  I  notify  you  that  the 
blood  which  may  be  shed,  the  sufferings  and  miseries  that 
may  follow,  shall  fall  upon  your  head,  and,  instead  of  the 
blessings  of  your  countrymen  you  will  receive  their  cursesi 
as  I  shall  consider  all  those  your   Excellency  may  present 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  435 

against  us  armed,  as  enemies,  and   they   shall  be   treated 
accordingly. 

"I  am  sending  you  this  communication  with  Captain  Cook 
of  my  regiment,  and  I   recommend  him  as  well  as  the  small 
party  of  tw^elve  dragoons,  to  your  kindness  and  attention. 
With  much  respect  I  am 

Your  Obedient  Servant, 

S.  W.  Kearny, 
Colonel  First  Dragoons. 
To  His  Excellency,  Governor  and  Commanding  General,  Don 
Manuel  Armijo,  Santa  Fe." 

Emory  s  Narrative  Continued     The  Taking  of  Santa  Fe. 

Since  we  have  now  given  the  reader  a  detailed  and  true 
account  ofArmijo's  situation,  related  by  an  eyewitness  of 
unassailable  reputation,  w^e  will  keep  on  listening  to  the  nar- 
rative of  Lieutenant  Emory  which,  for  the  purpose  of  this 
work,  ends  with  the  taking  of  Santa  Fe.  When  we  cut 
Emory's  narrative,  we  left  him  on  this  side  of  the  small  town 
of  San  Miguel,  or  near  the  small  town  of  Pecos,  the  place 
from  which  we  now  take  up  again  his  narrative,  Emor}^ 
continues: 

"As  we  approached  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  town  of  Pecos, 
a  large  fat  fellow^  mounted  on  a  mule,  came  towards  us  at 
full  speed,  and  extending  his  hand  to  the  general,  congratu- 
lated him  on  the  arrival  of  himself  and  the  army.  He  said, 
with  a  roar  of  laughter  'Armijo  and  his  troops  have  gone  to 
hell,  and  the  canon  is  clear."  This  was  the  alcalde  of  the 
settlement. 

"August  18. — We  were  this  morning  29  miles  from  Santa 
Fe.  Reliable  information  from  several  sources  had  reached 
camp  yesterday  and  the  day  before,  that  dissensions  had 
arisen  in  Armijo's  camp  which  had  dispersed  his  army,  and 
that  he  had  fled  to  the, south  carrying  all  his  artiltery  and 
one  hundred  dragoons  with  him.  Not  a  hostile  ritle  or  an 
arrow  was  now  between  the  army  and  Santa  F^,  the  Capital 
of  New  Mexico,  and  the  general  determined  to  make  his 
march  in  one  day,  and  raise  the  United  States  flag  over  the 
palace  before  sundown.  A  small  detachment  was  sent  for- 
ward at  day  break,  and,  at  six,  the  army  followed.     Four  or 


•136  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

five  miles  from  Old  Pecos  the  road  leads  into  a  canon,  with 
hills  on  each  side  from  1000  to  2000  feet  above  the  road,  in  all 
cases  within  cannon  shot,  and  this  continues  to  a  point  about 
12  or  15  miles  from  Santa  Pe. 

"Before  reaching  the  canon,  the  noon  halt  was  made  in  a 
valley  covered  with  grama.  Two  Mexicans  appeared;  one,  the 
acting  secretary  (Nicolas  Quintana)  in  search  of  the  general. 

"The  acting  secretary  brought  a  letter  from  Vigil,  the 
lieutenant  governor  informing  the  general  of  Armijo's  flight 
and  of  his  readiness  to  receive  him  at  Santa  Fe,  and  extend 
to  him  the  hospitalities  of  the  city.  The  day's  march  was 
very  tedious  and  vexatious,  and  frequent  halts  had  to  be 
made  to  allow  the  artillery  to  come  up.  The  head  of  the 
column  arrived  in  sight  of  the  town  about  three  o'clock;  it 
was  six  before  the  rear  came  up.  Vigil  and  twenty  or  thirty 
of  the  people  of  the  town  received  us  at  the  palace  and  asked 
us  to  partake  of  some  wine  and  brandy  of  domestic  manu- 
facture. During  the  repast,  and  as  the  sun  was  setting,  the 
United  States  flag  was  hoisted  over  the  palace  and  a  salute  of 
thirteen  guns  was  fired  from  the  artillery  planted  on  an 
eminence  that  overlooked  the  town. 

"The  ceremony  ended,  we  were  invited  to  supper  at  Captain 

's,  a  Mexican  gentleman  formerly  in  the  army. 

The  dinner  was  served  very  much  after  the  manner  of  a 
Prench  dinner,  one  dish  succeeding  another  in  endless 
variety. 

"August  19 — This  morning  the  general  assembled  all  the 
people  on  the  plaza  and  addressed  them  at  some  length. 
The  next  day  the  chief  and  head  men  of  the  Pueblo  Indians 
came  to  give  in  their  adhesion  and  express  their  great  satis- 
faction at  our  arrival. 

"A  message  was  received  the  same  night  from  Armijo 
asking  on  what  terms  he  would  be  received;  but  this  proved 
to  be  only  a  ruse  on  his  part  to  gain  time  on  his  flight  to  the 
south.  Accounts  go  to  show  that  his  force  at  the  canon  was 
4,000  men,  tolerably  armed,  and  six  pieces  of  artillery.  Had 
he  been  possessed  of  the  slightest  quahfications  of  a  general 
he  might  have  given  us  infinite  trouble.  A  priest  arrived 
last  night,  the  29th,  and  brought  the  intelligence  that,  at  the 
moment  of  Armijo's  flight,  Ugarte,  a  colonel   in  the  regular 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  437 

service,  was  on  his  march  at  this  side  of  El  Paso  del  Norte 
with  500  men  to  support  him.  That,  had  he  continued,  he 
would  have  been  enabled  to  rouse  the  whole  southern  dis- 
trict which  is  by  far  the  wealthiest  and  most  populous  of  the 
whole  countr}'. 

"The  population  of  Santa  Fe  is  from  two  to  four  thousand 
inhabitants.  The  houses  are  of  adobe,  in  the  Spanish  style 
generally  one  story.  They  are  forbidding  in  appearance 
from  the  outside,  but  nothing  can  exceed  the  comfort  and 
convenience  of  the  interior.  The  thick  walls  make  them  cool 
in  summer  and  warm  in  winter. 

"Mr.  Alvarez  informed  me  that  the  importations  from  the 
United  States  varied  very  much,  but  that  he  thought  they 
could  average  about  half  a  million  of  dollars  a  year  and  no 
more.  Most  of  the  A-agons  go  on  to  Chihuahua  without 
breaking  their  loads. 

"New  Mexico  contains,  according  to  the  last  census,  made 
a  few  years  since,  100,000  inhabitants.  It  is  divided  into 
three  departments — the  northern,  the  middle  and  the  south- 
eastern. These  are  again  sub-divided  into  counties,  and  the 
counties  into  townships.  The  lower  or  southern  division  is 
incomparably  the  richest,  containing  48,000  inhabitants, 
many  of  whom  are  wealthy  and  possess  much  property.'"  * 

Kearny's  First  Proclamation  of  Annexation  in  Santa   Fe. 

Four  days  after  the  taking  of  the  city,  General  Kearny 
issued  his  tirst  statement  in  the  form  of  a  proclamation  in 
which  he  declared  that  Mexico  had  provoked  the  war  that 
existed  between  that  nation  and  the  United  States;  that 
oecause  of  his  having  taken  possession  of  Santa  F6,  Capital 
of  the  department  of  New  Mexico,  four  days  before,  he  de- 
clared his  intention  to  retain  New  Mexico  under  the  name 
of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico,  with  its  original  boundaries, 
as  territory  of  the  United  States;  that  he  came  prepared  to 
protect  the  rights  of  its  inhabitants,  their  lives,  property  and 
their  religion,  and  to  punish  the  savage  Indians  that  waged 

*  Note -The  dairy  foregoing-  is  a  faithful  reproduction  of  the 
English  original  except  those  portions  which  are  of  little  impor- 
tance and  not  essential  to  the  principal  subject  of  the  narrative,  and 
thev  were  omitted.— The  Author. 


438  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

war  against  them,  advising  those  who  had  left  their  homes  to 
return  to  their  houses  and  submit  to  the  authority- of  the 
government  of  the  United  States:  that  the  government  of  the 
United  States  would  give  to  the  people  of  New  Mexico,  without 
delay,  a  free  government  identical  with  the  government  of  the 
other  states  of  the  union,  whereby  the  inhabitants  of  the  Ter- 
ritory might  elect  their  own  legislature  and  decree  their  own 
laws;  that  the  persons  who  occupied  public  positions  would 
continue  in  their  posts  provided  they  would  give  their  oath  of 
fidelity,  (concluding  his  said  proclamation  with  the  following 
words:  'Those  who  may  be  found  with  arms,  or  conspiring 
against  the  United  States  shall  be  considered  as  traitors  and 
treated  as  such;  Don  Manuel  Armijo,  the  outgoing  governor 
of  this  department  has  taken  to  flight;  the  undersigned  has 
taken  possession  of  New  Mexico  without  tiring  a  shot  or 
shedding  a  drop  of  blood,  a  circumstance  that  gives  him  sin- 
cere rejoicing,  and  for  the  time  being  he  will  be  considered  the 
governor  of  this  Territory. ' 

"Given  at  Santa  F6,  Capital  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico, 
today,  the  22nd  of  August,  1846,  and  the  71st  year  of  the 
Independence  of  the  United  States. 

S.  W.  Kearny, 
Brigadier  General."' 

Kearny  Visits  Albuquerque  and  Tome. 

On  the  2nd  of  September,  General  Kearny,  accompanied 
by  his  staff,  and  a  great  number  of  Mexican  volunteers,  all 
mounted,  left  Santa  F6  southward  with  the  object  of  taking 
possession  of  the  Rio  Abajo,  and  to  observe  personally  the 
foundation  of  certain  rumors  to  the  effect  that  in  Albuquer- 
que, General  Armijo  was  organizing  an  army  to  oppose  the 
Americans.  The  rumor  proved  to  be  false,  Kearny  arrived 
in  Albuquerque  on  the  5th,  and  he  was  tendered  a  royal 
reception,  the  officers  of  the  place  giving  forthwith  their  oath 
of  fidelity.  Thence  Kearny  continued  his  march  to  Tom6 
where  he  was  received  graciously  returning  thence  to  Santa 
F6  on  the  13th  of  the  same  month.  On  his  return  trip  he  was 
informed  that  the  Navajoes  and  Yuta  Indians  kept  on  com- 
mitting depredations  as  usual;  an  information  which 
prompted   the  establishment,    by  General  Kearny,  of  two 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  489 

temporary  forts,  one  at  Abiquiu,  and  the  other  at  Cebolleta, 
with  troops  under  the  coDfimand  of  Col.  Jackson  and  Major 
Gilpin  respectively. 

Formal  Appointment  of  Territorial  Officers. 

On  the  22nd  of  September,  1840,  Kearny  considering  that 
the  Territory  was  already  incomplete  submission,  made  the 
appointment  of  the  necessary  officials  for  the  organization  of 
a  Territorial  government  in  the  following  form:  "Being 
duly  authorized  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  I  do,  by  these  presents,  make  the  following 
appointment  of  officers  for  the  government  of  New  Mexico,  as 
a  Territory  of  the  United  States.  The  officers  so  appointed 
shall  be  respected  and  obeyed,  as  such:  Charles  Bent,  for 
governor;  Donaciano  Vigil,  for  secretary  of  the  Territory; 
Richard  Dalam  for  marshal;  Francis  P.  Blair,  for  United 
States  district  attorney;  Charles  Blumner,  for  treasurer; 
Eugene  Leitensdorfer,  for  auditor  of  public  accounts;  Joah 
Houghton,  Antonio  Jos6  Otero,  Charles  Beaubien,  for  Jus- 
tices of  the  Supreme  Court. 

"Given  in  Santa  F6,  the  capital  of  the  Territory  of  New 
Mexico,  today,  the  22nd  day  of  September,  1846,  and  in  the 
71st  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States." 

S.  W.  Kearny,  Brigadier  General." 

With  the  appointment  of  officers  General  Kearny  also  pro- 
claimed the  following  decree. 

Declaration  of  Rights — As  Declared  by  Brigadier  General  Kearny.  Sept. 
22nd,  1846. 

"That  the  great  and  essential  principals  of  liberty  and  of 
free  government  be  recognized  and  established,  it  is  declared, 
by  these  presents. 

First. — All  political  power  is  vested  in,  and  belongs  to  the 
people. 

Second. — The  people  have  the  right  to  gather  peaceably  for 
the  purpose  of  its  common  good,  and  to  ask  from  those  in 
power,  by  petition  or  presentation,  the  relief  of  their  evils. 

Third. — Everyman  has  a  natural  and  inalienable  right  to 
worship  God,  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  con- 
science, no  one  will  ever  be  damaged,  molested,  or  prevented 


440  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

from  professing  his  religion,  if  he  does  not  prevent  others 
from  professing  theirs;  all  Christian  churches  shall  be  pro- 
tected, and  none  oppressed,  and  no  one  shall,  on  account  of 
his  religious  opinions,  lose  his  right  to  any  office  of  honor, 
trust  and  profit. 

Fourth. — The  courts  of  justice  shall  be  open  to  every  per- 
son; a  just  remedy  shall  be  given  for  every  injury  to  persons 
or  property;  right  and  justice  shall  be  administered  without 
subordination,  without  denial,  without  delay,  and  private 
property  shall  not  be  taken  for  public  service  without  just 
compensation. 

Fifth. — The  right  of  trial  by  jury  shall  remain  inviolable. 

Sixth. — In  all  criminal  cases  the  defendant  shall  have  the 
right  of  being  heard  by  himself,  or  by  his  attorney,  to  ask 
for  the  nature  and  cause  of  the  accusation,  to  proceed  with 
compulsion  for  the  appearance  of  the  witnesses  in  his  favor, 
to  be  confronted  with  the  witnesses  who  may  depose  against 
him,  and  to  the  end  that  the  verdict  of  a  jury  of  his  country 
be  brief. 

Seventh. — The  defendant  shall  not  be  obliged  to  give  testi- 
mony against  himself,  or  to  be  deprived  of  his  liberty,  or 
property,  except  by  the  verdict  rendered  by  a  jury  and  the 
law  of  the  country. 

Eighth. — No  person,  after  having  been  declared  not  guilty 
by  a  jury,  shall  be  tried  again  for  the  same  offense. 

Ninth Any  accused   person  may  be  set  free  under  bail, 

giving  sufficient  securities,  except  for  capital  offenses  when 
the  proofs  of  the  crime  are  evident,  and  the  act  of  habeas 
corpus  shall  not  be  suspended  except  where  public  security 
may  require  it  in  cases  of  a  rebellion  or  an  invasion. 

Tenth No  excessive  bails  shall  be  asked  of  the  accused 

to  be  be  set  free,  nor  shall  any  exorbitant  tines  be  imposed, 
nor  shall  any  cruel  or  unusual  punishment  be  inflicted. 

Eleventh. — The  people  shall  be  secure  in  their  persons, 
papers,  houses  and  effects  from  every  unreasonable  search 
or  seizure,  and  no  process  of  search  or  seizure  shall  be  issued 
without  there  being  probable  cause  of  guilt  under  oath. 

Twelfth. — The  free  intercourse  of  ideas  and  opinions  is  one 
of  the  inviolable  rights  of  free  men,  and  every  person  may 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  441 

freely  speak,  write,  or  print  upon  any  matter,  being  respon- 
sible for  the  abuses  of  this  liberty. 

Thirteenth.— No  vicar,  priest,  preacher  of  the  gospel,  nor 
teacher  of  any  religious  denomination,  shall  be  obliged  to 
take  arms,  or  to  serve  in  juries,  vFork  on  roads,  nor  to 
perform  any  military  service. 

Given  at  the  Government  House,  in  Santa  Fe  in  the  Terri- 
tory of  New  Mexico  by  Brigadier  General  Stephen  W. 
Kearny,  in  virtue  of  the  power  conferred  on  him  by  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  on  this  22nd  day  of  Sep- 
tember in  the  year  of  Our  Lord,  1846."' 

S.  W.  Keakny. 
Brigadier  General  U.  S.  A." 

The  publication  of  the  proclamation  and  the  declaration  of 
rights  were  followed  by  the  taking  of  the  oath  of  allegiance 
by  all  the  appointed  officers  and  many  others  who,  having 
received  previous  notice,  came  to  the  Capital  with  that  object. 
What  follows  is  taken  from  the  "Resena  Hist6rica-Sin6ptica 
de  la  Guerra  Mexico-Americana"  of  this  author. 

Kearny  Starts  for  California — Price  and   Doniphan  to  Proceed  to   Old 
Mexico — Meets  Kit  Carson. 

After  the  territorial  organization,  Kearny  began  his  pre- 
parations to  continue  his  march,  in  accordance  with  his 
instructions,  and  on  the  25th,  of  the  same  month  com- 
menced his  march  to  California.  When  he  had  marched  for 
about  209  miles  south  of  Santa  Fe,  he  met  Kit  Carson  at 
Socorro,  who  was  coming  from  California  accompanied  by  an 
escort  bringing  news  from  Freemont  to  the  effect  that  the 
conquest  of  California  was  already  a  fact.  Before  leaving 
Santa  Fe,  General  Kearny  had  given  orders  that  he  be 
followed  as  far  as  California  by  a  regiment  of  Mormons  of 
the  forces  brought  by  Col.  Sterling  Price  and  that  Colonel 
Doniphan  should  march  to  Chihuahua  with  his  division,  the 
place  where  he  should  meet  General  Wood,  commander  in 
chief  of  the  Army  of  the  Center.  From  Socorro,  General 
Kearny  continued  his  march  taking  Kit  Carson  with  him  and 
ordering:  the  return  of  almost  all  his  force  to  Santa  F6. 


442  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Arrival  of  Colonel  Price — Treaty  With  the  Navajoes. 

Colonel  Price  arrived  in  Santa  Fe,  on  October  1st,  and  on 
the  17th  of  the  same  month  he  placed  the  Mormon  battahon 
in  March,  under  Lieutenant  Smith,  to  California,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  orders  of  General  Kearny.  Meanwhile  Gener- 
al Kearny  had  sent  a  courier  to  Santa  Fe  with  instructions 
that  before  marching  on  to  Chihuahua,  Doniphan  should 
make  an  expedition  to  the  land  of  the  Navajoes  with  the 
object  of  pacifying  them,  a  thing  Doniphan  executed  with 
such  good  success  that  he  celebrated  a  treaty  of  peace  with 
the  chiefs  of  the  tribe. 

Colonel  Doniphan  Starts  for  Chihuahua — Battle  of  Brazito. 

At  last  towards  the  middle  of  December,  Colonel  Doni- 
phan, set  out  on  his  march  to  Chihuahua  with  a  force  of  900 
men  (Mexican  historians  say  they  were  800)  which  was 
formed  in  three  divisions  to  which  a  company  of  volunteers, 
which  had  been  formed  at  Santa  Fe  under  command  of  Capt. 
Hudson,  was  joined  at  Doiia  Ana.  The  army  having  left 
Dona  Ana,  and  traveled  about  thirty  miles,  on  reaching  the 
placed  termed  "El  Brazito,"  on  the  25th  of  December,  met  a 
detachment  of  Mexican  infantry  and  cavalry  troops  under 
Captain  Ponce  de  Leon  composed  of  500  men.  The  two  met 
in  battle  in  which  Doniphan  came  out  victorious.  The  loss 
on  the  Mexican  side,  according  to  American  historians, 
reached  up  to  70  killed,  and  a  hundred  or  more  wounded, 
and  five  prisoners.  Mexican  historians  do  not  call  that 
encounter  a  battle,  but  simply  a  skirmish,  and  they  declare 
that  Ponce  de  Lecm,  his  ammunition  having  given  out,  was 
able  to  effect  his  retreat  in  a  very  orderly  manner  without 
lamenting  any  serious  losses.  On  the  American  side  the  loss 
was  one  soldier  killed,  and  a  few  wounded  that  is  admitted. 
Doniphan  continued  his  march  without  encountering  any 
further  obstacles  and  reached  El  Paso  del  Norte  (Ciudad 
Juarez)  on  the  27th  of  December,  staying  in  camp  at  the 
place  for  nearly  two  months  and  continuing  again  his  march 
to  Chihuahua  towards  the  latter  part  of  February,  1847. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOIiY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  44;{- 


Battle  of  Rancho  de  Sacramento — The  Taking  of  Chihuahua. 

Doniphan  did  not  meet  any  opposition  until  he  reached, 
February  28,  a  point  called  "Rancho  de  Sacramento," a  place 
where  he  came  in  sight  of  the  Mexican  forces  which  came  to 
meet  him.  Sacramento  was  at  a  very  short  distance  from 
Chihuahua.  The  Mexican  army  consisted  of  about  4,000  men^ 
with  Generals  Frias.  Conde,  Heredias  and  Ugarte  at  the  head. 
A  desperate  battle  ensued,  the  American  army  being  again 
victorious,  and  with  the  road  open  for  the  march  to  Chihua- 
hua, that  city  was  taken  on  the  tirst  of  March,  1847.  Doniphan 
remained  at  Chihuahua  for  nearly  two  months,  going  thence 
to  join  his  forces  with  Taylor's  army  who  was  at  Monterey. 

Few  military  marches  are  recorded  in  history  that  may  be 
compared  with  the  marches  of  Kearny  and  Doniphan,  from 
Missouri  to  California  and  from  Santa  F^  to  Chihuahua, 
respectively,  and  certainly,  as  regards  intrepidity  and  daring, 
none  of  the  generals  of  the  other  divisions  can  be  compared 
with  them.  Whether  that  war  was  just  or  unjust,  the  impar- 
tial observer  cannot  but  admire  the  valor  of  such  fearless 
generals.   * 

Election  of  Senators  Under  the  Mexican  Government  1845-6 — Urguides 
Elected. 

Under  the  official  instructions,  or  decree,  issued  by  the 
"Ministro  de  Relaciones  Exteriores"  (Secretary  of  State)  the 
departmental  assemblies  of  Chihuahua,  New  Mexico  and 
Durango  were  directed  to  order  an  election,  in  their  respec- 
tive departments,  in  May,  1845,  for  a  senator  to  fill  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Senator  Dn.  Sebastian  Cama- 
cho.  The  assembly  of  New  Mexico  at  once  held  said  election, 
on  the  9th  day  of  May,  1845,  and  elected  Don  Juan  Nepomu- 
ceno  Urguides,!  which  goes  to  show,  although  the  official 

*  Read's  Resena  Hist<3rica,  Sinop.  de  la  Guerra  Mexico- Americana. 

t  "Tornado  en  consideraci6n  se  procedio  A  la  votacion  resultando 
electo  por  la  mayoria  del  sufragio  el  Sr.  Lieenciado  Don  Juan  Nepo- 
muceno  Urguides,  .seaprov6  dlio.  nombramiento  acordando  al  mismo 
tiempo  el  remitir  la  acta  ;i  la  Camara  de  Senadores  etc.'"— Journal  of 
May  9,  1845,  p.  1. 


t 


444  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

records  do  not  so  state,  that  the  Mexican  Congress  had  given 
New  Mexico  the  same  rights  enjoyed  by  the  federal  states  of 
the  republic. 

Another  and  Last  Election  for  Senators — 1845. 

Again,  and  under  the  same  authority,  another  election  for 
senators  was  had,  this  time  by  the  people  in  October,  1845, 
resulting  in  the  election  of  Bishop  Dn.  N.  Madrid,  Marcelino 
Castaiieda,  Rev.  Bonilla  Arcillga,  on  behalf  of  the  agricul- 
tural classes  and  Jos6  Escalante,  Nepomuceno  Urguides, 
Antonio  Pescador,  on  behalf  of  the  builders  and  N.  Plores, 
M.  Zubiran,  I.  Mijures,  P.  Ramirez,  P.  Olivas,  L.  Sisqueiros 
and  A.  Ochoa  on  behalf  of  the  mining  and  farming  indus- 
tries.* As  the  occupation  of  New  Mexico  by  the  American 
army  took  place  in  August  of  that  year,  whatever  was  the 
ultimate  result  of  these  last  two  elections  of  senators  is  not 
known,  nor  is  it  of  any  consequence  to  us  now. 

Last  Election.  Under  Mexican  Rule. 

Before  proceeding  to  give  the  history  of  the  results  of  the 
invasion  of  New  Mexico  by  the  American  army,  I  deemed  it 
proper  to  inform  the  reader  of  the  last  election  held  in  New 
Mexico  under  the  Mexican  government  (see  picture  of  the 
originalcertificateof  saidelectioninanotherpartof  this  book). 
On  the  7th  day  of  October,  1845,  (ten  months  prior  to  Kearny's 
entry  into  Santa  F6)  the  "Colegio  Electoral"  (Electoral  Col- 
lege) met  in  Santa  Fe  and  proceeded  to  the  election  of  one 
delegate  to  (Diputado)  and  one  proxy  (Suplente)  the 
National  Congress,  and  the  tive  regular  members  and 
three  proxies  (Suplentes)  of  the  departmental  assembly.  The 
result  was  the  election  of  Don  Tomds  Chavez  y  Castillo  as 
delegate  and  Don  Vicente  Sanchez  Vergara  as  proxy  to  the 
congress  (or  Colegio  General)  in  Mexico,  and  Rev.  Antonio 
Jos6  Martinez,  Don  Tomds  Ortiz,  Don  Juan  Perea,  Don  Juan 
Crist6val  Armijo  and  Don  Felipe  Sena  as  the  regular  mem- 
bers of  the  "Asamblea""  and  Don  Seralin  Ramirez,  Don 
Vicente    Martinez    and    Don  Santiago    Armijo    as  proxies 

*Journal  of    the  Assembly  of  Oct.  1,  1S4G,  pp.  M-l. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  445 

(Suplentes).*  These  were,  then,  with  Governor  Armijoand 
Secretary  Juan  B  Vigil,  tlie  principal  officials  in  New  Mex- 
ico at  the  time  of  the  change  of  Hags,  August,  1846. 

An  Anti-American  Pronouncement. 
On  December  12th,  lb46,  when  Generals  Kearny  and 
Doniphan  were  in  California,  and  Mexico  respectively  as 
already  said,  the  citizens  Diego  Archuleta  of  Rio  Arriba,  and 
Tomds  Ortiz  and  Jos4  Manuel  Gallegos  of  Santa  P6,  initiated 
a  movement  with  revolutionary  tendencies.  Their  plan  was, 
neither  more  nor  less  than  the  assassination  on  the  lUth  of 
the  same  month,  of  all  the  Americans  that  might  be  found 
in  New  Mexico.  That  movement  was  the  sequel  to  previous 
arrangements  and  dispositions  which  had  been  had  and 
agreed  to  among  several  Mexican  citizens  residing  at  Las 
Vegas,  Mora  and  Taos.  The  author  desires  to  say,  in  the 
first  place,  that  neither  the  said  citizens,  Archuleta,  Ortiz 
and  Gallegos,  nor  those  who  were  engaged  with  them  in  the 
conspiracy  should  be  considered  traitors,  as  some  histori- 
ans have  declared  them  because  none  of  the  so-called 
traitors  had  given  to  the  American  government  the  oath  of 
allegiance;  and  as  both  nations  were  in  open  war,  those  men, 
and  the  ones  who  followed  them,  should  be  admired  for  their 
patriotism.  Let  us  now  resume  our  narrative  of  the  con- 
spiracy. On  the  16th  of  the  month  of  December,  the  said 
gentlemen  had  their  last  meeting  at  midnight  in  the  Capital 
of  New  Mexico,  in  which  they  agreed  to  postpone  the  rebel- 
lion until  the  24th  of  December,  in  order  thus  to  be  enabled 
the  better  to  organize  their  forces  clandestinely  at  all  the 
said  points.  The  conspiracy  might  perhaps  have  been  real- 
ized, had  not  Governor  Bent  discovered  it  on  the  21st  of  the 
same  month  of  December,  having,  in  consequence  caused 
the  arrest  of  many  persons  who,  it  turned  out  were  innocent, 

*  "Lista  de  los  Ind'vos  nombrados  per  el  Colegio  Electoral  en  el 
presente  afio. "— Diputado  al  Coleg-io  Gral.  D.  Tomds  Chavez  y 
Castillo;  Suplente,  Vicente  Sanchez  Verg-ara;  individuos  para  la  E. 
Asamblea,  propietarios,  Presvitero  D.  Antonio  Jos^  Martinez,  D. 
Tomas  Ortiz,  D.  Juan  Perea,  D.  .Tuan  Cristoval  Armijo,  D.  Felipe 
Sena.  Suplentes,  D.  Serafin  Ramirez,  D.  Vicente  Martinez,  D.  San- 
tiago Armijo.  Santa  Fd.  Octubre  7  de  1845."  Orig-inal  in  my  posses- 
sion.—The  Author. 


446  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  head-chiefs  Ortiz  and  Archuleta  escaping.  The  seed  of 
dissatisfaction,  however,  continued  bearing  fruit  at  Taos, 
Mora,  and  Las  Vegas.  As  soon  as  it  was  known  in  those 
places  that  the  plan  had  been  discovered,  in  Santa  Fe,  they 
delayed  the  day  of  assault  until  the  19th  of  January,  1847. 

Bent  Starts  for  Taos  and  is  Assassinated — With  Him  Others  Die — 
Father  Martinez  Saves  an  American  and  the  Families  of  the  Mur- 
dered Men. 
Governor  Bent  left  Santa  Fe  for  Taos  on  January  the  14th, 
1847,  to  visit  his  family,  believing  that  everything  had  been 
appeased  with  the  discovery  he  had  made  of  the  conspiracy. 
On  the  19th  of  that  month,  while  Bent  was  in  his  house 
sleeping,  at  midnight,  the  Taos  Indians  made  the  assault, 
-and  some  few  of  the  Mexicans  who  had  remained  as  yet, 
Mexican  citizens,  laid  a  siege  to  the  house  of  the  sheriff, 
Stephen  Lee,  murdering  him  and  DonCorneho  Vigil,  prefect 
of  the  place.  Those  murders  consummated,  the  gang  of 
murderers  went  to  the  house  of  Bent,  and  there  murdered 
him  (Bent)  and  then  murdered  Pablo  Jaramillo  and  Narciso 
Baubien.  Kit  Carson,  St.  Vrain  and  others  might  also  have 
been  murdered  had  they  not  been  away  from  Taos  on  that 
fated  night.  There  was  in  Taos  at  the  time  a  foreigner  whom 
they  called  "General"  Lee,  a  brother  of  the  murdered  sher- 
iff, who  was  able  to  escape  by  running  to  Father  Martinez's 
house,  where  he  found  hospitable  shelter  and  ample  protec- 
tion. "General'"  Lee  was  followed  by  the  families  of  the 
other  murdered  Americans,  all  placing  themselves  under  the 
protection  of  Father  Martinez.  It  is  nothing  but  just  to 
bear  testimony  to  the  humanitarian  action  of  Padre  Mar- 
tinez, tirst,  because  a  man  is  worthy  of  praise  who,  in  such 
-critical  moments,  gives  shelter  to  the  persecuted,  though  in 
so  doing,  he  might  have  to  expose  his  life;  and  in  the  second 
place,  because  many  writers,  with  an  inborn  prejudice,  have 
attempted  to  stain  the  name  of  Padre  Martinez,  charging 
him  with  being  one  of  the  movers  of  the  vile  and  cowardly 
attack. 

Not  satisfied  with  having  shed  so  much  innocent  blood, 
they  sent  out  another  gang,  on  the  same  night,  to  Arroyo 
Hondo,  a  town  near  Taos,  where  they  assaulted  and  killed 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  447 

Simon  Turley,  Turbush  Hattield,  Tolque,  lioberts,  Mar- 
shall, Austin  and  John  Albert.  Those  Americans  were  all 
together  at  a  house  from  which  they  could  defend  them- 
selves for  two  days,  killing,  during  the  fray,  live  Indians,  but 
they  were  all  killed  with  the  exception  of  one  (whose  name  is 
not  known)  who,  though  wounded,  was  able  to  make  good  his 
escape. 

Murders  at  Mora  and  Las  Vegas. 

On  the  same  day,  the  19th,  the  Messrs.  Waldo,  Cavanaugh, 
Praett,  Colver,  Noyes,  Howard  and  Head  were  murdered  at 
Mora  in  the  vilest  and  most  cowardly  manner.  The  last  two 
happened  to  be  in  Mora  by  mere  chance  on  that  night;  they 
had  gone  there  on  a  business  trip,  as  merchants.  It  is  said 
that  at  Las  Vegas  several  men  were  killed,  but  there  is  no 
authentic  authority  to  confirm  that  report;  it  is  known,  how- 
ever, that,  had  not  Don  Juan  de  Dios  Maes,  the  alcalde  of  the 
place,  given  timely  protection  to  the  Americans  of  the  place, 
several  of  them  would  have  been  killed.* 

Measures  are  Taken  by  Colonel  Ceran  St.  Vrain  and  Colonel  Price  for 
the  Punishment  ol  the  Rebels — Surrender  of  the  Taos  Indians  and 
Execution  of  Their  Chief. 

A  day  after  the  assaults  at  Taos,  Mora  and  Las  Vegas,  all 
that  had  occurred  in  those  places  was  known  in  Santa  Pe  by 
means  of  speedy  couriers.  Colonel  Ceran  St.  Vrain  at  once 
organized  in  Santa  Fe,  January  23rd,  1848,  a  volunteer  com- 
pan}^,  and  left  the  same  day  with  Captain  Angne}^,  who  com- 
manded a  batallion  of  regular  soldiers,  making  in  all  a  total  of 
350  troop  men,  with  Colonel  Sterling  Price  in  command. 

Battle  of  Santa  Cruz. 
The  next  day  the  army  met  at  Santa  Cruz  an  armed  force 
under  the  command  of  the  chieftains,  Montoya,  Chdvez  and 
Tafoya.  The  insurgents  gave  battle  to  Price,  but  were 
routed  with  36  killed,  while  the  Americans  had  two  killed 
and  several  wounded. 

Fight  at  Embudo. 
Colonel  Price  continued   thence  his   march   without    any 
obstruction  as  far  as  Caiion  del  Embudo,  where  his  march 
*Bancn>ft  Ariz,  and  N.  Mex. 


4-48  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

was  interrupted  by  another  force  of  insurgents  which  Price 
also  defeated  after  a  short  struggle,  and  then  continued  his 
march  on  to  Taos  at  a  rapid  pace. 

The  American  Army  Arrives  at  Taos  —  Defeat  and  Surrender  of  the 
Enemy. 

On  February  3rd,  Price  arrived  at  the  town  of  Fernandez 
de  Taos  with  the  army,  where  he  learned  that  the  insurgents 
were  intrenched  in  the  church  of  the  Pueblo  of  Taos,  which 
is  at  a  short  distance  from  Fernandez.  Price  reconnoitered 
the  fortification  and  on  the  next  day  assaulted  it  with  his 
army.  The  Indians  fought  with  desperation  and  heroism, 
but  had  finally  to  surrender  to  the  superiority  of  the  Amer- 
ican arms  which  had  alread}/  bored  holes  on  the  walls  of  the 
church,  killed  150  Indians  and  wounded  a  larger  number  of 
them.  On  the  side  of  the  Americans  there  were  seven  dead, 
46  wounded,  among  the  dead,  one  officer.  Price  would  not 
accept  the  surrender  of  the  Indians  unless  their  chief,  called 
Tomds,  and  the  other  chiefs  were  delivered  to  him,  a  requisi- 
tion the  Indians  relucantly  obeyed  delivering  said  chiefs  who 
were  hung  on  the  seventh  of  said  month.  This  ended  the 
revolution  at  Taos. 

Assault  and  Punishment  of  the   Mora  Insurrectos  by  Captain  Hendley 
Who  is  Killed  in  Battle — Hendley  is  Succeeded  by  Morin. 

On  the  last  day  of  January,  1848,  Captain  Hendley,  with  8Q 
men,  attacked  the  insurgents  in  the  town  of  Mora.  In  the 
fray,  himself  and  two  soldiers  were  killed,  and  the  force 
retired  to  renew  the  attack  on  the  next  day,  a  thing  Captain 
Morin  did,  on  the  first  of  February,  defeating  the  insurgents 
and  obliging  them  to  abandon  the  town.  Morin  next  destroyed 
the  greater  part  of  the  houses  of  residence,  stables  and 
corrals,  and  returned  to  Las  Vegas. 

That  was  the  last  attempt  made  against  the  American  gov- 
ernment, the  Territory  being  consequently  left  in  a  state  of 
perfect  pacification,  and  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  signed  at  the 
City  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  on  the  2nd  of  February,  1848, 
between  Mexico  and  the  United  States,  and  ratified  by  the 
American  government  on  March   1st,  and   by  the   Mexican 


ILLUSTRATED  HISTOliY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  449 

gDvernment  May  25tli  of  the  same  year  became,  permanently 
and  forever,  a  part  of  the  American  union. 

Historical  California — Letter  From  Roubideaux. 

A  httle  before  June,  1848,  a  stranger  formerly  residing  in 
New  Mexico,  called  Louis  Roubideaux  had  gone  to  California, 
taking  with  him  his  wife  who  was  a  New  Mexican  lady.  The 
reasons  of  his  moving  to  California  had  their  origin  in  the 
disgusts  and  difficulties  he  had  with  Charles  Bent,  at  Taos, 
the  place  of  residence  of  said  Roubideaux.  From  Jorupa, 
California,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  Don  Manuel  Alvarez,  which 
forms,  in  part,  an  important  paragraph  of  the  history  of  the 
war  between  Mexico  and  the  United  States,  relating  inci- 
dents, which  so  far  as  this  author  knows,  have  never  been 
mentioned  in  history,  and,  as  said  letter  is  in  the  possession 
of  the  author,  it  is  indispensable  to  consign  to  history  what 
is  therein  related.     The  letter  reads  as  follows: 

California,  May  1st,  1848. 
"Sr.  D.  Manuel  Alvarez: 

"My  dear  sir  and  friend,  whom  I  esteem: — I  received  the 
two  letters  you  wrote  me.  In  the  first  you  relate  the  insur- 
rection of  New  Mexico,  and,  as  it  appears,  it  has  been  terrible 
on  account  of  the  many  murders  that  were  committed  by 
those  natives  and  Indians.  But  in  the  end  those  who  were 
the  cause  w'ill  receive  condign  punishment.  From  the  begin- 
ning of  hostilities  between  the  two  nations  I  was  a  prisoner 
of  war.  On  the  25th  of  September,  1846,  we  met  in  my  house 
and  my  neighbor's,  Don  Benjamin  Wilson's,  (18  strangers)  to 
defend  ourselves  at  any  cost,  because  the  shout  of  insurrec- 
tion had  already  resounded  everywhere,  and  rumor  was  that 
they  would  spare  not  the  life  of  any  stranger.  The  day  after 
our  meeting  we  went  to  the  ranch  of  Chino  which  is  6  leagues 
distant  from  my  house;  Don  Juan  Rowland  was  one  of  our 
warriors,  and  also  four  or  five  other  additional  strangers 
whom  we  met  at  said  ranch.  Our  intention  was  to  continue 
as  far  as  the  town  of  Los  Angeles,  if  possible,  in  order  to 
join  the  small  American  force  which  was  stationed  there. 
But  the  enemy  did  not  relish  this  re-union;  we  were  attacked 
the  next  day,  that  is,  on  the  27th  of  September,  by  a  force 


450  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

superior  to  ours  to  which  we  had  to  surrender  at.  discretion 
after  a  struggle  of  an  hour. 

"The  enemy  assaulted  the  house  in  which  we  were  fortified 
with  so  much  furor  and  valor  that,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  as  they  say,  set  it  on  fire  on  every  side  with  so  much 
celerity,  that  we  had  no  alternative  but  to  surrender  or  be 
burned  alive.  We  did  that  to  our  regret.  From  that  moment 
I  lost  my  liberty. 

"The  enemy  numbered  200  men;  we,  with  little  ammunition 
and  victuals,  our  opponents  with  plenty  of  war  material,  and 
the  camp  was  theirs.  We  were  then  presented  to  the  general, 
D.  Jose  Ma.  Flores,  a  military  ofiicer  of  the  Mexican  army,  a 
man  of  superior  attainments  and  courage,  although  many  say 
he  is  a  coward  and  a  tyrant;  but,  according  to  my  way  of 
seeing,  I  believe  in  good  faith,  that  he  has  during  the  whole 
period  of  the  insurrection,  acted  with  prudence,  and  that  he 
has  behaved  as  a  good  soldier.  It  seems  to  me  that  every 
man  who  embraces  the  military  calling  seeks  after  a  name 
and  riches,  etc.,  etc. 

"This  same  Flores  whom  I  have  just  praised  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  send  us  as  far  as  the  Capital  of  Mexico,  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  more  weight  to  his  exploits,  or  still  better, 
to  the  drafts  he  had  issued  upon  the  government.  But  every- 
thing was  frustrated,  as  you  will  see  further  on.  There  was, 
at  the  time,  a  party  which  always  spied  him,  embarrassed 
his  plans,  and  opposed,  when  necessary  his  individual  views. 
This  same  party,  realizing  that  our  departure  was  against 
the  general  interest  of  the  Californias,  and  for  fear  also  of 
reprisals  from  the  Americans,  formed  an  opposition  against 
him  and  continued  the  plan,  with  the  aid  of  us,  the  prisoners, 
that  is,  with  our  money,  of  turning  him  down  from  the  posi- 
tion, a  thing  that  happened  on  the  eve  of  the  day  when  we 
were  about  to  start  for  the  Capital.  This  intrigue  relieved 
us  from  a  very  long  walk,  and  perhaps  saved  our  lives. 
Sometime  after,  he  was  allowed  to  again  assume  the  com- 
mand, but  on  condition  that  the  prisoners  would  not  have  to 
go  out  of  California.  Before  this  happened,  we  had  received 
orders  to  prepare  to  go  out  of  the  Territory,  and  that  we 
should  make  some  determination  of  our  property  as  well  as 
of  our  families. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOKY    OP^    NKW    MKXICO.  451 

"This  command  fell  upon  us,  like  a  bolt  of  lightning  from 
heaven.  A  very  great  sorrow  took  hold  of  us  all,  so  much 
so,  that  Don  Juan  Rowland  frequently  said  'cut  off  a  leg  from 
me  and  let  me  stay  with -my  familly."  But  his  clamor  was 
useless,  no  heart  was  softened  in  our  behalf;  it  was  the  same 
as  if  we  had  spoken  to  the  rocks;  for  my  part  I  always 
remembered  the  poor  Texans  and  their  sufferings  who  went 
afoot  from  New  Mexico  to  the  Capital  (Mexico  CiDy)  the 
half  of  whom  died  on  the  road,  such  being  my  information, 
as  much  on  account  of  the  ill  treatment  they  received,  as  for 
lack  of  food.  But  fortune,  or  rather  the  Supreme  Being, 
who  always  remembers  his  good  children,  when  He  is 
implored,  determined  otherwise  and  turned  to  naught  the 
calculations  of  the  ambitious  who  thirst  after  fame  and 
riches  at  the  cost  of  human  life  and  blood. 

"General  Kearny  arrived  here  in  November  or  December, 
with  an  escort  of  100  dragoons;  but  the  reception  he  had  here 
was  not  as  good  as  the  one  he  had  in  New  Mexico.  For 
before  he  could  join  the  American  force  that  was  at  San 
Diego,  a  seaport  of  Upper  California,  he  was  attacked  by  the 
cavalry  from  here,  which  is  doubtless  the  best  in  all  the 
Mexican  Republic,  since  they  perform  wonders  on  horse- 
back. The  general  lost  22  men  killed  in  the  camp  of  honor, 
and  as  many  wounded,  he,  the  general  himself,  receiving  a 
slight  wound,  and  my  brother,  Don  Antonio,  who  was  by 
the  side  of  the  interpreter  got  also  a  lance  thrust  in  the  hip, 
but  he  escaped  alive.  After  a  few  days,  the  general  had 
the  happiness  to  join  the  force  that  was  at  San  Diego  under 
command  of  Commodore  Scockton;  and  today  they  both 
went  out  together  at  the  head  of  600  men,  nearly  all  of  them 
sailors,  and,  by  the  way,  all  on  foot.  They  fought  two  battles 
on  the  8th,  and  9th,  of  January,  1849,  near  the  City  of  Los 
Angeles,  and  in  both  tights  they  conquered  the  enemy  and 
entered  the  said  city  without  any  opposition  on  the  10th  of 
the  same  month.  My  captivity  lasted  till  then.  This  was 
enough  for  the  enemy  to  disperse,  and  might  not  show  up 
again  for  action.  A  few  of  them  gathered  about  the  second 
chief,  Don  Andres  Pico  (Flores  having  retired  for  fear  of  an 
intrigue  of  his  own  countrymen  who  wanted  to  deliver  him 
up  to  the  enemy,  believing  that  in  this  way  they  could  capture 


452  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

the  good  will  of  the  conqueror,)  only  to  ask  for  a  treaty  of 
peace  which  was  granted  them  by  Colonel  Freemont,  in  quite 
an  honorable  manner  for  the  sons  of  the  country. 
I  am  your  most  obedient  servant, 

L.  ROBIDKAUX.'" 

In  conclusion  of  this  chapter  it  must  be  stated,  that  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  though  it  could  have  taken 
the  Provinces  of  New  Mexico  and  California  without  any  pecu- 
niary remuneration,  consented,  nevertheless,  in  giving  the 
Mexican  government,  and,  in  etfect,  gave  it,  the  sum  of 
$15,000,000.00. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Price  Assumes  Command  of  the  Covernment  The  People  are  Divided 
Into  Factions  The  Convention  Meets  and  Adopts  a  Petition  to 
Congress  Asking  for  a  Territorial  Covernment — Visit  of  Cure 
Ortiz  With  the  Object  of  Repatriating  Mexicans  -  Formal  Organi- 
zation of  the  Two  Opposing  Parties—  Organization  of  State  Cov- 
ernment Election  of  Senators — Protest  of  Covernor  Monroe- 
Alvarez  Receives  Bad  News — The  Territorial  Covernment  is 
Organized  The  Military  Power  Yields  to  the  Civil — First  Delegate 
in  Congress. 

1848-1852 


During  the  month  of  October,  1847,  Colonel  Price  assumed 
the  command  of  the  government,  as  military  governor,  the 
change  causing  the  people  to  divide  in  two  factions;  one  con- 
demning Price,  and  insisting  on  the  continuance  of  the  civil 
government,  the  other  sustaining  Price  in  his  ai'rogance. 
This  gave  rise  to  the  introduction  of  politics  as  practiced  in 
the  United  States,  that  is,  the  sons  of  Nev7  Mexico  commenced 
to  feel  the  magnitude  of  the  responsibility  that  befalls  upon 
a  citizen  in  a  nation  v^hose  government  is  based  on  popular 
opinion.  The  practice  also  originated  then  of  using  corrup- 
tion in  the  investment  of  the  political  powers.  The  burning 
question  of  thatepochwas  thesupremacy  of  power  which  was 
in  an  obstinate  mannerdisputed  among  the  two  factions,  that 
is,  by  the  pro-slavery  and  anti-slavery  parties.  This  chaotic 
condition  lasted  until  August,  1848,  when  Senator  Thomas 
H.  Benton  who  wrote  a  letter  from  Washington  to  the  enemies 
of  Price  urging  upon  them  the  necessity  of  organizing  them- 
selves into  a  civil  government.  At  that  period  Colonel  J.  M. 
Washington  was  the  military  governor,  and  he  opposed,  with 
all  the  prestige  of  his  military  power,  the  organization  of  a 
territorial  government.  At  the  same  time,  Don  Donaciano 
Vigil,  who  had  been  appointed  by  Price  as  civil  governor, 
though  he   was   such  only  in  name,  issued  a  proclamation 


454  ILLUSTUATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

summoning  a  convention  with  the  object  of  organizing  a  civil 
or  territorial  government  according  to  Benton's  suggestions. 

A  Convention  Meets  and  Adopts  a  Memorial  to  Congress  Asking  for 
a  Territorial  Government. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  1848,- in  accordance  with  the  procla- 
mation of  Governor  Vigil,  a  convention  met  in  Santa  F^  with 
Father  Antonio  Jose  Martinez,  as  president,  and  J.  M. 
Giddings,  as  secretary.  The  members  of  said  convention 
were,-  the  said  Antonio  Jose  Martinez,  Elias  P.  West,  Antonio 
Saenz,  Juan  Perea,  Donaciano  Vigil,  Santiago  Archuleta, 
Francisco  Sarracino,  (who  had  been  governor  under  the 
Mexican  government),  Gregorio  Vigil,  Jos6  Pley,  James 
Quinn,  Ramon  Luna,  Carlos  Beaubien,  and  Manuel  A.  Otero. 
The  labors  of  said  convention  were  limited  to  the  approval  of 
the  following  memorial: 

Memorial  to  Congress. 

"Petition  to  Congress  made  by  New  Mexico,  through  its 
inhabitants  in  convention  assembled: 

"We,  the  people  of  New  Mexico,  respectfully  ask  of  Con- 
gress that  we  be  given  a  civil  territorial  government  without 
delay. 

"We  respectfully  ask  of  Congress  the  establishment  of  a 
government  of  a  purely  civil  character. 

"We  respectfully  submit  that  the  organic  law  and  the 
statute  law  proclaimed  under  military  order  on  September 
22,  1846,  with  some  changes  are  not  acceptable. 

"We  recommend  that  the  following  offices  be  occupied  by 
persons  appointed  by  the  President  with  the  co-operation  and 
consent  of  the  senate,  to-wit:  Governor,  secretary  of  gov- 
ernment, judges,  United  States  attorney  and  marshal. 

"We  wish  to  be  given  the  right  of  appeal  from  the  courts 
of  the  territory  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States. 

"We  respectfully,  but  firmly,  protest  against  the  dismem- 
berment of  our  territory  in  favor  of  Texas  or  by  any  other 
cause. 

"We  do  not  wish  domestic  slavery  within  our  confines,  and 
we  ask  the  protection  cf  Congress,  against  the  introduction  of 
slavery  into  the  territory  until  we  are  formed  into  a  state. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  455 

"We  ask  authority  to  elect  our  local  legislature  in  accor- 
dance with  what  is  prescribed  by  the  law  of  New  Mexico,  of 
Sept.  22,  1846,  which  will  remain  subject  to  the  approvjil  of 
congress. 

"We  ask  to  be  represented  in  congress  by  a  delegate  or 
deputy. 

"As  New  Mexico  has  a  population  of  from  75,000  to  100,000 
inhabitants  we  believe  that  what  we  ask  is  reasonable,  and 
we  entertain  the  hope  that  congress  will  decree  to  us  laws 
as  liberal  as  those  decreed  for  other  territories. 

"These  signatures  of  all  the  persons  named  follow  below 
with  date  of  "Santa  Fe,  October  11,  1848."  Congress  denied 
the  petition  at  tirst  but  granted  afterwards  what  was  asked. 

First  Legislature  Under  Military  Authority. 

It  should  be  remarked  to  the  reader  that,  in  the  year  1847, 
a  legislature  had  already  been  organized,  on  the  6th  of 
December  of  that  year,  under  military  government  with  the 
following  members:  Antonio  Sandoval,  president;  Henry 
Henrie,  secretary;  James  Hubbell,  porter;  Jos6  Francisco 
Baca  y  Terros;  Jose  Andres  Sandoval;  Juan  Tullis;  Nicolds 
Lucero;  Pascual  Martinez;  Juan  Otero  y  Chdvez;  all  these 
gentlemen  being  the  members  of  the  Council;  the  members 
of  the  House  being:  William  C.  Angney,  president;  James 
Giddings,  secretary;  E.  J.  Vaughn,  porter;  Manuel  Alvdrez, 
Antonio  Martinez,  TomdsC.  de  Baca,  Jesiis  Sandoval,  Miguel 
Sanchez,  Antonio  Saenz,  Levi  J.  Keithly,  Jose  Ramon  Vigil, 
Antonio  Jose  Manzanares,  Mariano  Lucero,  Jose  Martinez, 
George  Gold,  Antonio  Jose  Ortiz,  Juan  Perea,  Rafael  Arm i jo 
y  Maestas,  William  Skinner,  Juan  Cruz  Baca,  Juan  Crist6- 
val  Chavez,  Rafael  Luna,  and  Juan  Sanchez  y  Carillo. 

New  Military  Commandant — A  New  Convention  is  Held  —  A  Form  of 
Government  is  Adopted  and  a  Delegate  to  Congress  Elected — 
Cure  Ortiz  and  Repatriation  of  Mexicans. 

At  the  beginning  of  1849,  Colonel  Washington  being  absent 
from  New  Mexico,  the  command  fell  upon  the  hands  of 
Colonel  Beall,  who  was  in  sympathy  with  the  party  that 
favored  the  form  of  civil  government.     Beall  called  a  conven- 


456  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

tion  similar  to  that  which  met  the  year  previous,  as  has  been 
said  in  the  foregoing  paragraph,  with  the  object  of  forming 
a  territorial  government.  The  said  convention  was  held  in 
September  of  that  year,  and  another  memorial  was  adopted 
analagous  to  that  of  the  convention  of  1848,  electing,  forth- 
with, Hugh  C.  Smith  as  delegate  to  Congress.  The  next 
year,  1850,  Smith  appeared  in  Congress,  at  Washington,  but 
was  refused  admission  to  the  House  of  Representatives.  Let 
us  now  treat  about  the  coming  of  a  commissioner  from  the 
Mexican  government. 

Visit  of  Cure  Ortiz  for  the  Repatriation  of  the  Mexicans. 
It  is  indispensable,  before  entermg  upon  the  details  of 
what  happened,  before  1850,  to  narrate  the  efforts  made  by 
the  Mexican  government  to  repatriate  all  the  sons  of  New 
Mexico  who  desired  to  go  and  live  under  the  Mexican  flag, 
in  accordance  with  what  was  stipulated  in  the  treaty  signed 
on  the  2nd  of  February,  1848,  in  the  city  of  Guadalupe 
Hidalgo,  by  which  treaty  the  Mexican  government  was 
allowed  to  put  in  practice  said  endeavors.  Accordingly,  in 
April  1849,  the  cur6,  Don  Ramon  Ortiz,  came  here  as  the 
emissary  of  the  Mexican  government,  offering  the  New  Mex- 
icans lands  and  all  accoutrements  necessary  for  agriculture, 
transportation  for  their  families  and  man\"  other  conve- 
niences. The  cure,  Ortiz,  had  already  obtained  the  consent 
of  many  families,  but,  as  the  methods  he  employed  were  not 
acceptable  to  the  governor  of  New  Mexico,  he  was  forbidden 
to  continue  in  the  discharge  of  his  commission  returning  in 
May  of  that  year  to  Mexico  without  having  obtained  any 
results  whatsoever.*  Below  we  give  the  correspondence, 
between  said  cure  Ortiz  and  Don  Doniciano  Vigil,  Secretary 
of  the  Territory.     The  correspondence  follows: 

"Santa  F6,  April  29,  1849. 
"Mr.  Commissioner,  Cur4  Ramon  Ortiz: 

"Sir:  His  Excellency,  the  governor,  does  not  permit  you 
to  visit,  personally,  the  different  points  of  this  Territory 
with  the  end  of  manifesting  to  its  inhabitants  your  com- 
mission;  for,  according  to  advices  received  from  El  Vado, 

*Pino  Not.  Hist.  pp.  It."}  to  08. 


r 


ILLUSTllATEO    HISTOKY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  457 


you  have  overstepped  your  official  duties  by  overadvancing 
your  indications,  thereby  producing  unrest;  I  am,  therefore, 
directed  by  His  Excellency  to  tell  you  to  suspend  your  trip, 
returning  forthwith  to  this  city,  from  which,  as  the  center 
of  power,  you  may  discharge  your  duties  with  the  integrity 
3'ou  manifest  and  according  to  your  instructions.  I  am  sir, 
very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

DoNACiANO  Vigil, 

Secretary  of  the  Territory.'" 

Ortiz  to  Vigil. 

"Pojoaque,  April  29th,  1849. 
"Mr.  Secretary  of  Government,  Donaciano  Vigil. 
"Sir: — I  am  in  receptofyour  note  of  today  in  which  you 
communicate  to  me  the  order  of  His  Excellency,  the  gov- 
ernor, prohibiting  my  personal  visit  to  the  towns  of  this 
territory  witti  the  object  of  manifesting  to  its  inhabitants  the 
end  of  my  commission,  t  say  that  I  will  obey  it.  In  regard 
to  the  abuses  you  make  reference  to,  in  your  note  as 
received  from  El  Vado,  you  can  assure  His  Excellency  that 
they  are  absolutely  false,  for  neither  individually,  nor,  much 
less,  as  an  agent  of  the  Mexican  government,  shall  I  fail  to 
keep  the  regards  due  the  legitimate  government  of  the 
country  wherein  I  am  sojourning,  as  my  government  desires 
to  preserve,  by  all  means  possible,  the  good  understanding 
which  it  has  today  with  that  of  the  United  States,  and  I  make 
vows  to  the  effect  that  such  an  understanding  may  not  be 
altered. 

I  am  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

Ramon  Ortiz." 

Ortiz  to  Vigil- 

"Santa  Fe,  April  30,  1849. 
"Mr.  Secretary  of  Government,  Donaciano  Vigil. 
"Sir — Be  pleased  to  manifest  to  His  Excellency,  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  Territory,  that,  in  compliance  with  his  orders, 
one,  a  written  order,  the  other,  a  verbal  one,  which  His 
Excellency  was  pleased  to  give  me,  by  reason  of  the  move- 
ments of  unrest  that  were  noticed,  I  have  suspended,  from 
the  moment  in  which  I  received  the  first  one.  my  practice  of 


458  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

presenting  myself  personally  in  the  towns,  in  order  to  make 
by  myself  the  enlistment  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
that  voluntarily  wished  to  emigrate  to  the  Mexican  Republic. 
In  order  to  comply  as  well  with  the  second  order,  I  sent 
yesterday  at  once  couriers  to  all  the  towns  where  I  had 
commissioners,  that  they  might  suspend  immediately  any 
proceedings  in  the  matter.  I,  sir,  as  the  agent  of  the  gov- 
ernment friendly  to  the  American  nation,  and  which  today 
has  the  best  of  an  understanding  with  it,  sincerely  wish  to 
contribute  with  whatever  is  in  my  power,  to  the  preservation 
of  good  order  within  its  dominions,  and,  to  this  end,  I  hope 
that  your  Excellency  will  be  pleased  to  tell  me  officially  the 
way  or  means  by  which  I  may  avail  myself  in  the  Territory 
in  order  to  comply  with  those  duties  I  took  upon  myself 
when  I  accepted  the  mission  with  which  the  government  of 
Mexico  was  pleased  to  honor  me. 

I  am,  sir,  yours  attentively, 

Ramon  Ortiz." 

Vigil  to  Ortiz- 

"Santa  Fe,  May  1st,  1849. 
"Mr.  Commissioner  Ramon  Ortiz. 
"Sir: — His  Excellency,  the  governor,  has  informed  himself 
of  the  contents  of  your  attentive  note  of  yesterday  in  which 
you  state  that  you  have  suspended  your  march  to  all  the 
points  and  places  in  the  Territory,  and  that  you  have  dis- 
patched couriers  to  your  agents  ordering  them  to  cease  their 
functions,  offering  at  the  same  time  your  cooperation  to 
pacify  the  unrest  which  had  commenced  to  appear  at  El 
Vado;  and  I  am  directed  to  tell  you  in  reply,  that  His  Excel- 
lency is  aware  of  your  deference  to  the  notices  sent  you, 
thanking  you  for  you  good  desires  in  contributing  to  the 
support  of  the  government;  but,  that,  as  the  measures  neces- 
sary to  check  the  disorder  have  already  been  dictated,  he 
reserves  for  another  occasion  the  use  of  your  influence  if 
necessary. 

i  am,  sir,  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant. 

DoNACiANO  Vigil, 
Secretary  of  theTerritory." 


ILLUSTliATliD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  459 

Ortiz  lo  Vigil. 

"Santa  Barbara  de  Cile,  N.  M.,  May  5th,  1849. 
"Mr.  Secretary  of  Government,  Donaciano  Vigil. 

Sir: — Please  inform  His  Excellency,  the  governor  of  the 
Territory  that,  in  full  accordance  with  the  statements  I 
made  to  liim  in  my  last  verbal  conference,  I  have  concluded 
to  undertake  my  journey  back  to  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  on 
thesixth  inst.,athing  1  beg  to  make  His  Excellency  acquainted 
with.  I  am  sir,  your  most  affectedly, 

Ramon  Ortiz." 

Formal  Organization  of  the  Opposing  Parties. 
Out  of  so  much  uncertainty  produced  by  the  comphcated 
political  condition,  the  organization  of  two  militant  political 
parties  came  as  a  result.  Both  were  well  organized  and 
prepared  for  a  decisive  campaign,  the  one  favoring  the  im- 
mediate organization  of  a  territorial  government,  ihe  other 
adhering  to  the  continuation  of  the  military  government. 
Precisely  at  the  moment  in  which  the  two  parties  were  or- 
ganizing, commissioners  came  from  Texas  claiming  juris- 
diction over  New  Mexico  which  resulted  in  the  union  of  the 
said  two  parties  into  a  single  one  with  the  determination  of 
forming  a  state  government. 

Organization  of  a  State  Government — Election  of  State  Officials. 

In  accordance  with  what  was  agreed  to  by  the  two  parties, 
and,  pursuant  to  a  previous  call,  in  May,  1850,  a  constitutional 
convention  met  in  Santa  Fe,  and  authorized  Governor  Monroe 
to  issue  a  proclamation  for  an  election  of  state  officers. 
Governor  Monroe  issued  the  proclamation  on  the  28th,  of 
that  month  for  the  election  of  a  governor,  a  lieutenant 
governor,  two  representatives,  and  one  senator  to  the  Nat- 
ional Congress,  and  for  members  of  the  local  legislature. 
The  election  of  said  officers  was,  together  with  the  constitu- 
tion to  be  submitted  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States; 
and  the  state  officers  were  not  to  enter  upon  the  discharge 
of  their  duties  until  authorized  so  to  do  by  an  act  of  Congress. 

The  election  followed  and  the  persons  elected  were  Henry 
Connelly,  governor;  Manuel  Alvarez,  lieutenant  governor; 
William  Messervey,  representative  in  congress. 


460  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Election  of  Francis  Cunningham  and  Richard  Weightman  as   Senators. 

The  State  legislature  met  in  Santa  Fe  on  the  first  Df  July, 
1850,  with  the  object  of  electing  the  senators  to  congress,  but 
many  of  the  members  of  the  legislature,  among  them  H.  L. 
Dodge,  refused  to  qualify,  and  as  the  newly  elected  state 
officers  attempted  to  take  possession  of  the  government,  dis- 
agreeable friction  ensued  between  the  two  parties,  the  mili- 
tary government  upheld  by  Governor  Monroe,  and  the  civil  by 
the  lieutenant  governor,  Manuel  Alvarez,  who  acted  as  gover- 
nor in  the  absence  of  Governor  Connelly.  The  situation 
could  not  be  more  complicated.  Several  of  the  members 
presented  their  resignation,  refusing  to  recognize  Don 
Manuel  Alvarez  as  governor,  one  of  them  H.  L.  Dodge,  in  a 
letter  addressed  to  said  Alvarez  on  July  8th,  1850,  (who  had 
been  chosen  as  representative)  tells  Mr.  Alvarez  the  follow- 
ing:    (This  letter  I  have  in  my  possession. — The  Author.) 

"Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  July  8,  1850. 
"To  His  Excellency,  Manuel  Alvarez,  governor  acZ  interim 
of  the  State  of  New  Mexico:     Sir: — With  this  I  tender  my 
resignation  as  member  of  the  state  legislature  to  which  I 
have  had  the  honor  of  being  elected.     Very  truly  yours, 

H.  L.  Dodge." 

Notwithstanding  the  above  mentioned  resignation,  the 
legislature  was  organized,  and  Messrs.  Francis  Cunningham 
and  Richard  Weightman  were  elected  senators.  Alvarez 
next  attempted  to  establish  the  state  government  issuing 
circulars  to  the  different  probate  judges  of  the  Territory, 
ordering  them  to  call  conventions  of  the  people  for  the  elec- 
tion of  county  officials.  That  step  by  Alvarez  capped  the 
the  friction.  Governor  Monroe  protesting,  with  energy, 
against  it  in  the  following  terras: 

Protest  of  Governor  Monroe. 

The  protest  alluded  to  was  addressed  to  all  county  probate 
judges  of  the  Territory,  and  reads  thus:* 
"To  the  Probate  Judge  of  the  County  of 

"Sir: — Whereas,  two  documents  signed  "Manuel  Alvarez, 
vice  governor  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico,"  addressed  to  the 
*  Original  in  possession  of  the  author  of  this  woi'k. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NB:W    MEXICO.  461 

prefects  of  the  County  of  Santa  F6,  one  being  a  proclamation 
to  hold  elections  for  county  officers,  and  the  other  an  extract 
taken  from  a  law  passed  in  the  last  legislature  of  the  State 
of  New  Mexico  stating  the  time  and  manner  of  holding  certain 
elections,  have  been  remitted  to  me  by  said  probate  judge; 
and  as  it  is  presumed  that  similar  documents  have  been 
addressed  to  the  other  probate  judges  of  the  different  coun- 
ties of  the  Territory.  You  are  hereby  instructed,  that  the 
state  government  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico  has  no  legal 
existence  till  New  Mexico  is  admitted  into  the  union  as  a  state 
by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  that,  until  it  be 
determined  otherwise  by  competent  authority,  the  present 
government  will  continue,  and  will  be  upheld  as  the  actual 
government  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico. 

"You  shall,  therefore,  unheed  the  proclamation  commands, 
or  other  acts  issued  by  the  hands  of  said  Alvarez,  vice  gov- 
ernor, or  any  other  official  under  the  state  government,  and 
hold  same  null  and  void;  and  whatever  other  communication 
may  be  made  to  you  by  the  above  mentioned  party  or  others 
you  are  hereby  instructed  to  remit  same  immediately  to  the 
secretary  of  the  territory. 

"By  order  of  John  Monroe,  military  and  civil  governor  of 
the  Territory  of  New  Mexico. 

"Given  under  my  hand  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  the 
Territory  of  New  Mexico  this  23rd  day  of  July,  1850. 

"By  order  of  H.  E.  the  governor, 

DoNACiANO  Vigil,  (Seal), 
Secretary." 

In  spite  of  the  protest  of  Monroe,  Alvarez  kept  on  organ- 
izing his  forces  all  over  the  territory,  and  instructing  the 
probate  judges  not  to  pay  any  attention  to  Monroe's  protest, 
but  that  they  should  obey  him  and  the  other  officers  of  the 
State,  because  the  civil  government  was  superior,  in  times  of 
peace,  to  the  military  government. 

Alvarez  Receives  Bad  News. 

From  all  parts  of  the  Territory,  communications  came  to 
Alvarez  from  his  agents  informing  him  that  the  probate 
judges  and  other  county  officials  denied  him  and  his  govern- 


462  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ment  recognition.  Chief  among  his  agents  was  Don  Francisco 
Tomas  Cabeza  de  Baca,  and,  as  similar  reports  came  from 
other  persons  the  author  has  selecbed  the  reports  on  account 
of  the  said  Cabeza  de  Baca,  from  among  many  others  of  the 
same  tenor  which  Alvarez  received  from  other  agents.  By 
letter  of  August  4th,  1850,  xMr.  Baca  says  what  follows:* 

"Pena  Blanca,  Aug.  4,  1850. 
"Sr.    Don  Manuel  Alvarez: 

"My  dear  and  esteemed  sir: — On  the  2nd  inst.  1  received 
the  credentials  you  remitted  to  me,  together  with  an  extract 
of  the  law  which  must  settle  the  dem.arkations  for  the 
elections  which  by  law  must  be  held  on  the  15th  inst.,  and 
although  according  to  the  extraordinary  measures  of  the 
militar}^  commandant  in  opposition  to  the  dispositions  made 
by  the  state  government  which  by  right  legally  exists,  I  see 
that  the  endeavors  I  will  make  will  have  no  effect.  But,  not- 
withstanding all  my  business,  to-morrow  I  will  start  for  the 
southern  district  to  sound  the  voters,  and  I  shall  opportunely 
advise  you  of  the  result.  The  paper  addressed  to  Mr.  V.  V. 
Z.  is  at  hand  etc.,  and  it  will  be  delivered  on  time. 
Yours  Truly, 

Franco  Tomas  Cabeza  de  Baca"  (Seal). 

Don  Tomas  Baca  undertook  the  journey,  according  to  this 
promise,  returning  to  Pena  Blanca  four  days  after,  dis- 
couraged and  convinced  that  Alvarez's  authority  would  not 
be  recognized.     So  he  says  in  the  letter  we  give  below: 

"Pena  Blanca,  August  8th,  1850. 
"Sir  Don  Manuel  Alvarez: 

"My  dear  sir  of  my  most  attentive  consideration:  As  I 
indicated  to  you  that  I  would  go  down  to  the  Rio  Abajo  to 
sound  the  people,  I  have  discovered  that  all  our  friends  are 
well  disposed  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  state,  but  at  the  same 
time  I  tind  that  the  extracts  of  the  law  on  elections  are  not 
sufficient,  as  L  understand  of  the  paragraphs  that  are  con- 
tained in  the  extract  which  you  sent  me;  the  whole  law  is 
necessary  in  order  that  the  judges  may  arrange  their  pro- 
ceedings and  that  same  be  published  to  the  people;  on  the 

*These  letters  I  have  in  my  possession.  —The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    IIISTOliV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  468 

other  hand,  the  letrislature  has  not  provided  who  shall  be  the 
judges  nor  to  whom  they  shall  address  their  orders,  the 
prefects  and  sheriffs  having  refused  to  obey  them,  and  at  the 
same  time  I  see  that  the  time  appointed  is  extremely  brief  to 
carry  into  effect  the  law,  and  the  opinion  of  the  judges  is 
that  they  have  no  powers  to  extend  the  term  fixed  by  law. 
I  request  you  to  tell  me  in  your  answer  whatever  may  occur 
to  you  in  the  premises. 

"The  last  resolve  of  our  friends  has  been  to  wait  to  see  if 
there  is  any  combination  between  the  judges  of  Santa  F^  and 
the  military  commandant:  and  if  against  us,  then  to  wait  for 
the  arrival  of  Mr.  Connelly.     Yours  truly, 

"Francisco  Tomas  Cabeza  ue  Baca"  (Seal). 

Mr.  Alvarez  received  similar  letters  from  other  parts  of 
the  Territory;  he  and  the  other  state  oflicials  were  now  dis- 
heartened. The  state  legislature  continued,  however,  in  ses- 
sion, with  the  two  administrations  acting,  the  military  and 
the  state  government.  Such  was  the  state  of  things  when 
the  news  reached  from  Washington  in  the  form  of  a  decree 
from  the  Department  of  the  Interior  announcing  that  Con- 
gress had  granted  the  petition  formerly  made  to  it  by  the 
convention  of  October  14th,  1848,  having  passed  a  law  for  the 
admission  of  California  as  a  state,  and  for  the  organization 
of  New  Mexico  and  Utah  as  Territories  of  the  Union.  That 
law  was  approved  on  the  9th  of  September,  1850,  providing, 
in  addition  to  the  organization  of  New  Mexico  as  a  Territory, 
authority  to  pay  Texas  the  sum  of  $10,000,000  in  absolute 
settlement  of  her  claims  against  New  Mexico. 

The  Territorial  Government  is  Organized — The  Military  Power  Yields 
to  the  Civil— First  Delegate  in  Congress. 

With  the  news  received  from  Washington,  the  state  govern- 
ment came  to  an  end,  but  not  the  hopes  and  wishes  of  the 
people  towards  seeing  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  made 
by  General  Kearny,  when  he  took  possession  of  New  Mexico, 
which  promise  was  reiterated  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States  to  the  government  of  Mexico  in  the  treaty  of 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo  on  the  2nd  of  February,  1848.  The  strug- 
gle at  once  began  to  obtain  the  admission  of  New  Mexico  into 


464  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  Union,  a  struggle  which  continued  without  cessation, 
year  in  and  year  out  but  without  success,  until  the  year,  1910, 
in  which  Congress  at  last  decreed,  the  admission  of  New 
Mexico  into  the  union;  of  this  we  will  treat  in  the  chapter 
which  I  will  devote  to  the  "Statehood  Question,  History  of 
the  Struggle." 

On  the  3rd  day  of  March,  1851,  the  Territory  of  New  Mex- 
ico became  formally  organized  with  the  inauguration  of  her 
first  civil  governor,  Mr.  James  S.  Calhoun,  Donaciano  Vigil 
as  secretary,  and  the  admission  of  Mr.  William  Messervy 
(who  had  been  elected  a  member  of  the  house  of  representa- 
tives at  Washington,  by  the  state  legislature)  as  delegate  to 
congress  from  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico. 

Immediately  after  the  inauguration  of  Governor  Calhoun 
an  election  was  ordered ;  the  election  was  held  and  county  offi- 
cers and  a  legislature  were  elected. 

Meeting  of  the  First  Legislature   Under   the  Organic  Act. 

The  first  territorial  legislature  met  in  Santa  F6,  June  1, 
1851,  with  the  following  senators  and  members  of  the  lower 
house:  Council,  First  District — Counties  of  Taos  and  Rio 
Arriba,  Pablo  Gallegos,  George  Gold,  Rev.  Antonio  Jos6  Mar- 
tinez, Vicente  Martinez  and  Antonio  Ortiz.  Second  District 
— Counties  of  Santa  Fe  and  San  Miguel,  The  Presbyter,  Jose 
Francisco  Leyba,  Vicar  General,  Juan  Felipe  Ortiz  and  Hugh 
N.  Smith.  Third  District — Counties  of  Bernulillo  and  Santa 
Ana,  Tom  as  Cabeza  de  Baca  and  Presbyter  Jos6  Manuel 
Gallegos.  Fourth  District — Counties  of  Valencia  and  Socorro, 
Florencio  Castillo,  Juan  C.  Chavez  and  Franco.  Anto.  Otero. 

Members  of  the  lower  House:  County  of  Taos,  Raymundo 
C6rdova,  Dionicio  Gonzales,  Pascual  Martinez,  Miguel  Mas- 
carefias  and  Theodore  Wheaton.  County  of  Rio  Arriba, 
Geronimo  Jaramillo.  Jos^  Antonio  Manzanares,  Diego  Sala- 
zar,  Celedonio  Valdez,  Ramon  Vigil.  County  of  Santa  Ana, 
Jos6  Sandoval.  County  of  Santa  F^,  Candido  Ortiz,  Palmer 
Pilans,  Merrill  Ashrust,  Robert  T.  Brent.  County  of  San 
Miguel,  Hilario  Gonzales,  M.  Sena  y  Quintana,  M.  Sena  y 
Romero.  County  of  Bernalillo,  Juan  Crist6val  Armijo,  Spruce 
M.  Baird  and  Jos6  Leandro  Perea.  County  of  Valencia,  Juan 
Cruz  Baca,  Juan  Jos^  Sanchez,  William  C.  Skinner.     County 


II.LUSTKATKl)    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MKXICO.  41)5 

of  Socori-o,  .luan  Torres  and  Esquipula  Vi^il.  The  presiding 
officers  of  the  respective  bodies  were:  Of  the  Council,  Presby- 
ter Antonio  Jos(5  Martinez;  of  the  House,  Theodore  Wheaton, 
both  of  tlie  County  of  Taos.  The  other  officers  of  the  Terri- 
tory were  the  following:  Elias  P.  West,  Attorney  General; 
G.  Sohns,  Marshal:  Supreme  Judge,  Crafton  Baker;  John  S. 
Watts  and  Horace  Mower,  Associate  Justices;  Treasurer, 
Charles  Blumner;  Auditor,  Eugene  Leitendorfer. 

With  the  organization  of  the  territorial  government,  the 
first  newspaper  in  English  and  Spanish,  "Santa  Fe  Gazette," 
was  established,  although  before  that  date  other  papers  had 
been  published,  one  of  them  entitled  "Republican,'"  whose 
life  was  very  short,  and  one  in  Spanish  (of  this  last  named 
the  author  of  this  work  has  a  copy)  entitled  "El  Nuevo 
Mejicano,'"  but  that  fact  notwithstanding,  the  said  printing 
offices  did  not  print  the  election  ballots;  or  through  the 
enmity  between  the  two  parties  it  did  not  care  to  print  the 
ballots  for  the  party  headed  by  Alvarez.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
the  truth  about  the  matter  is  that,  for  the  election  that  was 
held  in  August  of  the  next  year,  1852,*  the  Alvarez  party 
had  to  print  its  ballots  in  the  state  of  Missouri,  as  the  letter 
of  Mr.  David  B.  Whiting  shows,  which  we  give  below.  +  The 
letter  follows: 

"Independence,  July  1st,  1852. 
"Hon.  Manuel  Alvarez 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 

"My  esteemed  sir  and  friend: — Your  very  attentive  letter, 
giving  me  a  list  of  the  candidates  for  the  house  of  represen- 
tatives in  the  three  counties  of  Santa  Fe,  Rio  Arriba,  and 
San  Miguel  was  delivered  to  me  at  Cimarron.  As  soon  as  I 
got  here,  I  had  the  ballots  printed  which  I  have  the  pleasure 
to  remit  to  you  by  this  mail.  The  cost  of  printing  them  is 
^36.00  and  there  are  two  thousand  for  each  county.  Had  the 
gentlemen  of  Rio  Abajo  sent  in  the  names  they  also  would 
have  had  their  ballots. 

"The  governor  will  arrive  here  or  at  Kansas  tomorrow  or 

*The  ballots  used  formally  were  written  by  hand  and  pen.  I  have 
two  of  them  in  my  possession.— The  Author. 

tThe  letter  of  Mr.  Whiting-  is  written  in  excellent  Spanisli  and  is 
in  my  possession.— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  467 

the  day  after.     His  health  was  the  same,  but  I  believe  he  will 
get  better  in  his  trip  to  Washington. 

"There  is  nothing  new  here;  it  is  said  that  Henry  Clay 
died  day  before  yesterday,  but  this  is  uncertain.  The  can- 
didates for  president  and  vice-president,  are  Scott  and 
CTrahain,  on  the  Whig  side,  and  Pierce  and  King,  on  the 
Democratic  side.  It  is  believed  Scott  will  be  elected,  I  don't 
know,  we  will  see.  Please  present  my  regards  to  all 
friends,  I  am. 

Yours  Truly, 

David  B.  Whiting.' 

With  the  narrative  given  the  reader  in  the  preceding  para- 
graphs, this  chapter  closes.  In  the  next  one  we  will  give  an 
account  of  other  incidents  as  important  as  the  ones  the 
reader  has  read  in  this  chapter. 


CHAPTER  VIll. 

Richard  M.  Weighlman  Elected  Directly  by  the  People— Energetic  De- 
fense of  the  People  of  New  Mexico  and  its  Civil  Covernment — 
Correct  Description  of  the  Lamentable  Political  Situation  in  Which 
New  Mexico  was  Found  in  Those  Years — Alvarez  is  and  is  not 
Covernor  for  Three  Days — Lane  Takes  Possession  of  a  Part  of 
Mexican  Territory  Claimed  by  the  State  of  Chihuahua  Other 
Things  of  Importance. 

1852-1853- 


Richard  H.  Weightman  was  the  successor  of  William  S. 
Messervey  as  Representative  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mex- 
ico in  the  Congress  of  the  Union,  having  been  elected  directly 
by  the  people  in  the  elections  held  in  1851,  being,  therefore, 
the  tirst  Delegate  of  New  Mexico  chosen  by  a  majority  of  the 
voters.  Daring  the  incumbency  of  Mr.  Weightman  the  poli- 
tical waves  were  at  their  height  of  agitation,  and  the  corruption 
reached  its  topmost  fullness,  a  corruption  which  the  adher- 
ents of  the  military  government  had  been  practising  in  New 
Mexico.  Criminations  and  recriminations  w^ere  tiled  in  Con- 
gress by  both  parties  against  each  other,  the  enemies  of 
Governor  Calhoun  making  severe  attacks  against  said  gov- 
ernor, against  Delegate  Weightman,  and  against  the  people 
of  New  Mexico,  compelling  Delegate  Weightman,  by  their 
shameless  conduct  to  make  complete  exposure  of  the  crimes 
and  frauds  which  had  come  to  be  the  order  of  the  day  since 
the  moment  in  which  the  change  of  flags  was  consummated. 
The  speech  which  Mr.  Weightman  delivered  in  the  House 
of  Representatives  deserves  a  pre-eminent  place  in  the  his- 
tory of  New  Mexico,  on  account  of  the  nobleness  of  its  senti- 
ments, the  brilliancy  of  its  ideas,  and,  above  all,  on  account 
of  the  defense  he  made  of  the  unjustly  attacked  people  of 
New  Mexico;  wherefore  the  author  made  a  careful  and  con- 
scientious analysis  of  said  speech,  and  gives  it  below,  inter- 


470  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

posed    with    the      comments  which     the    author    thought 
necessary.     The  speech  follows: 

Political  Corruption  in  New  Mexico — Exposure  by  the  First  Delegate — 
Speech  of  Hon-  Richard  H.  Weightman — Slavery  in  New  Mexico. 

(Delivered  in  Washing-ton,  March  15,  1852.) 
In  order  to  give  an  idea  of  the  splendid  defense  of  the 
people  of  New  Mexico  made  by  Hon.  Richard  H.  Weightman 
in  the  speech  he  delivered  in  the  House  of  Representatives 
on  March  15,  1852,  we  publish,  in  the  sequel,  copious  extracts 
from  said  speech  which  was  prompted,  first,  by  the  attacks 
of  Congressman  Phelps,  from  Missouri,  against  Governor 
Calhoun  (which  attacks  were  in  great  part  a  malignant  and 
slanderous  diatribe  against  the  native  people  of  New  Mexico); 
and,  secondly,  an  exposure  of  the  abuses,  and  arbitrary 
conduct  of  the  military  government,  which,  at  that  time, 
ruled  over  New  Mexico.  As  the  under-mentioned  speech  is 
too  extensive  to  be  reproduced  here,  in  its  entirety,  we  shall 
limit  ourselves  to  its  most  important  points,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  we  shall  say  that  Mr.  Weightman  was  the  first  Delegate 
of  New  Mexico  in  Congress,  elected  by  the  people,  and  one 
who,  on  account  of  his  intellectual  gifts,  no  less  than  his 
services,  is  worthy  of  the  remembrance  and  gratitude  of  the 
New  Mexicans. 

Mr.  Weightman  said: 

"Mr.  President: — I  was  anxious  the  other  day  that  this 
question  of  privilege,  in  regard  to  the  seat  of  the  delegate 
from  New  Mexico,  should  come  up,  not  for  the  purpose,  as 
I  then  stated,  for  making  any  objection  to  the  printing  of  the 
memorial  and  the  accompanying  papers,  or  to  their  reference 
to  the  committee  of  elections,  but  for  the  purpose  of  contra- 
dicting, promptly  and  at  once,  the  gross  charges  which  have 
been  made  against  the  honorable  gentleman  who  is  now 
governor  of  New  Mexico.  I  regret  that  he  has  not  a  better 
advocate  than  myself  on  this  occasion.  I  regret  that  he  has 
no  forceful  Breckenridge,  or  brillant  Marshall  up  here  in 
his  defense.  But  such  as  1  am  1  bring  to  this  question  the 
highest  regard  for  that  honorable  gentleman,  and  admiration 
of  his  course  in  New  Mexico.     In   my  belief,  the  honorable 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  471 

governor  of  New  Mexico  has  pursued  a  course  calculated  to 
make  the  Mexicans — who  have  been  separated  from  their 
i^overnment  by  no  act  of  theirs,  and  who  now  owe  allegiance 
to  the  government  of  the  United  States— feel  that  they  are 
at  least  a  part  of  this  government;  that  they  have  rights  here 
that  ought  to  be  protected;  and  that  the  government  to  which 
they  belong  was  created  by  the  people,  and  ought  to  be 
administered  for  their  benefit.  The  elevation  of  policy  and 
motives  which  distinguish  the  governor  of  New  Mexico,  is 
not  appreciated  and  cannot  be  appreciated  by  those  who 
would  injure  and  belie  him.  Against  the  governor  of  New 
Mexico  there  have  been  arrayed  divers  and  powerful  influ- 
ences. I  think  I  am  well  enough  acquainted  with  my 
countrymen  to  know  that  when  powerful  influences  are 
brought  to  bear  against  any  individual,  and  there  is  an 
attempt  to  crush  a  man  who  is  in  the  discharge  of  high  and 
honorable  duties,  the  mere  knowledge  of  that  fact  will  make 
those  influences  powerless. 

"I  shall  allude  now  to  one  of  those  influences.  I  am  about 
to  read  from  a  newspaper  which,  I  understand,  has  the 
largest  circulation  of  perhaps  any  paper  in  the  Union;  I 
mean  the  National  Era.  It  is  the  number  of  February  26th, 
and  the  article  is  headed: 

"Scoundrelism  in  Our  Territories  —  Kidnapping  Under  a  Governor's 
License. 

'  "We  publish  on  our  fourth  page  an  editorial  from  the 
Desert  News  disclosing  a  state  of  things  in  our  Territories 
which  demands  the  immediate  attention  of  the  chief  execu- 
tive. According  to  the  statement,  Governor  Calhoun,  of 
New  Mexico,  is  no  better  than  an  infamous  kidnapper. 
Gangs  of  traders  with  licenses  bearing  his  name,  authoriz- 
ing them  to  purchase  Indian  children  as  slaves  for  the  ben- 
efit of  persons  in  New  Mexico,  have  lately  been  driven  out  of 
the  Territory  of  Utah.  Bad  as  the  Mormons  are  repre- 
sented to  be,  they  are  not  so  devilish  as  to  connive  at  this 
new  trade  in  human  blood,  which  a  United  States  officer, 
appointed  by  Mr.  Fillmore,  seems  ambitious  to  establish."  ' 

Now  I  desire  to  refer  to  the  article  to  see  how  much 
authority  the  editor  of  the  Era  had  for  that  statement. 


472  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Ml'.  Weightman  here  reproduces  said  articles,  which  are 
taken  from  the  New  York  Herald,  and  which  say  that  some 
traders  were  expelled  from  Utah  by  the  Mormons  because 
they  were  trading  with  the  Indians  under  licenses  issued  by 
Governor  Calhoun.  These  traders  were  Pedro  Leon  and 
twenty  Spanish-Americans  who,  it  is  said,  were  exchanging 
horses  for  Indian  children.     Mr.  Weightman  continues: 

"And  that  is  all.  He  does  not  say  for  the  purpose  of  trad- 
ing for  Indian  children  as  slaves. 

"There  are  other  parts  of  this  article  which  is  not  neces- 
sary for  me  to  read.  But  the  Desert  News,  the  quoted 
authority  of  the  Era,  does  not  confirm  the  statement  that  by 
the  license  of  Governor  Calhoun  there  has  been  authorized 
trade  in  children  of  any  kind,  notwithstanding  the  reckless 
and  unscrupulous  statement  of  the  National  Era.  This  is 
one  of  the  influences  to  which  I  alluded.  This  influence 
brought  to  bear  against  Governor  Calhoun  may  be  traced  in 
a  kindred  paper  in  Santa  Fe,  edited  by  a  gentleman  who  is 
an  agent  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Anti-Slavery  Society, 
who  does  little  else  than  malign  the  governor,  the  gallant 
Sumner,  commanding  the  troops  in  New  Mexico,  and  the 
humble  individual  who  now  addresses  you.  This  society  is 
a  powerful  one;  and  it  is  one  of  the  chief  influences  which 
has  been  brought  to  bear  upon  the  governor  of  the  Territory. 

"To  show  the  design  of  the  National  Era  in  its  reckless  and 
unscrupulous  statements  in  reference  to  Governor  Calhoun, 
I  wish  to  read  a  letter  which  I  wrote  at  the  request  of  Gen- 
eral Foote.  I  wrote  it  early  in  the  present  session  of  Con- 
gress. I  desire  to  read  it  in  connection  with  the  comments 
of  the  National  Era,  in  which  the  editor  makes  the  threat  that 
I  shall  be  made  to  feel  for  my  contumacy,  if  I  continue  the 
course  which  I  have  thought  proper  to  pursue.  Here  is  the 
letter: 

"Washington,  December  16,  1851. 

"My  Dear  Sir: — In  compliance  with  your  request,  I  give 
you  my  views  as  to  the  popular  feeling  concerning  slavery  in 
New  Mexico. 

"The  popular  feeling  in  New  Mexico  is,  I  believe,  tixedly 
set  against  that  country  being  made  the  arena  in  which  to 
decide  political  questions  in  which  the  people  have  no  practi- 


ILLUSTKATKl)    llISTCMn'    OF    NI<:\V    MEXICO.  47H 

cal  interest,  and  all  attempts  which  have  heretofore  been  made, 
or  which  hereafter  may  be  made,  to  induce  the  people  of  that 
country  to  take  sides  on  a  question  in  which  they  are  not  at  all 
interested,  have  been,  and  will,  I  trust,  forever  be  utterly 
abortive. 

"There  are  in  New  Mexico  a  few  negroes,  in  all,  as  shown 
by  the  census,  seventeen;  and  of  this  number  there  may  be 
as  many  as  five  or  six  slaves — house — servants  of  officers  of 
the  array  and  others. 

"There  has,  up  to  this  time,  before  the  judicial  tribunals, 
been  no  case  of  a  negro  held  to  slavery  suing  for  his  freedom. 
When  such  a  case  shall  occur,  it  will,  in  my  opinion,  be  adju- 
dicated without  popular  excitement  of  any  kind,  though  the 
people  are,  I  believe,  opposed  to  the  Introduction  of  slave 
labor  among  themselves;  and  when  the  time  shall  come  when 
they  shall  think  proper  to  seek  admission  as  a  State  of  the 
Union,  they  will,  I  am  inclined  to  think,  should  there  be  in 
their  opinion  danger  of  the  introduction  of  slave  labor  there, 
prohibit  if.  But,  as  there  is  at  this  time  no  such  danger, 
there  is  no  excitement  on  the  subject;  and  I  see  in  the  future 
no  likelihood  of  the  introduction  of  slave  labor  there,  I  appre- 
hend that  the  popular  mind,  will,  as  now,  remain  calm  on  this 
point,  and  the  question  of  prohibiting,  admitting,  or  remain- 
ing silent  concerning  slavery,  will  be  treated  simply  as  a 
matter  of  policy  in  reference  to  being  admitted  into  the 
Union.  *  *  * 

"A  vigorous  effort  was  this  year  made  to  interest  the  people 
in  this  vexed  question,  but  all  in  vain.  A  document  entitled 
'an  address  to  the  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico  and  California 
on  the  Social  and  Political  Evils  of  Slavery"  was  industri- 
ously circulated  in  New  Mexico  in  the  Spanish  language  by  an 
agent  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Anti-Slavery  Society, 
who  is  at  this  time  the  editor  of  the 'Santa P6  Gazette,' in 
the  columns  of  which  paper  he  is  republishing  occasional 
chapters  of  this  document.  In  this  is  drawn  a  comparison, 
more  highly  wrought  than  true,  between  the  north  and  the 
south  in  reference  to  state  of  education,  state  of  morals,  state 
of  religion,  disregard  of  human  life,  disregard  of  constitu- 
tional obligations,  population,  military  weakness  etc.,  etc."' 

The  author  omits   the   rest  of  the  letter  because  it  deals 


474  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

with  the  same  things  contained  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs 
and  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  repetitions;  and  we. do  the 
Hke  with  the  paragraphs  he  inserts  in  his  speech  taken  from 
the  newspaper  the  "National  Era,"  in  which  Mr.  Weightman 
is  censured,  and  is  charged  with  having  submitted  and  bent 
the  knee  to  the  slave  advocates  at  Washington,  The  speech 
continues: 

"It  may  be  that  the  National  Era  and  those  whom  it  repre- 
sents may  make  me  'learn,'  because  of  the  views  I  conscien- 
tiously entertain;  and,  if  in  its  endeavors  to  'make  me  learn,' 
it  is  as  unscrupulous  in  its  attacks  on  me  as  it  has  been  on 
Governor  Calhoun,  I  doubt  not  it  will  be  shown  up  in  a  way 
to  induce  the  subscribers  of  that  paper  to  believe  me  a 
monster  of  iniquity, 

"There  is  another  newspaper  in  the  United  States  that  has 
thought  proper  to  take  up  the  cudgels  against  Governor 
Calhoun.  It  is  the  St.  Louis  Republican.  This  paper  has  the 
largest  circulation  of  any  paper  west  of  the  Alleghany  Moun- 
tains, at  least  I  am  inclined  to  think  so,  and  was  built  up 
by  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  the  editor  who  is  the  pro- 
prietor also.  As  the  circulation  of  this  paper  increased  so 
did  the  views  of  its  editor  enlarge,  until  he  has  at  this  time, 
I  believe,  taken  under  his  control  the  whole  State  of  Mis- 
souri, not  only  as  regards  its  general  policy,  but  he  can  tell 
you  who  is  the  best  man  in  the  country,  to  be  brought  out  as 
constable  for  any  township  in  the  state.  He  has  extended 
himself  also  to  the  State  of  Illinois,  in  the  same  way,  and  will 
be  able  to  give  the  members  from  Missouri  or  Illinois  excel- 
lent advice  as  to  the  way  they  are  to  conduct  themselves  in 
Congress. 

"He  has  also  attended,  generally  and  largely,  to  the  Indian 
policy  of  the  government,  and  knows  more  about  the  Indians 
lying  between  Behring  Strait  and  the  southeast  corner  of 
Texas,  than  Fitzpatrick  or  any  of  those  old  mountaineers, 
intelligent  or  educated  men,  who  have  spent  forty  years 
among  the  mountains;  and  if  the  government  could  only  be 
persuaded  to  turn  over  to  the  editor  of  that  paper  the  charge 
of  the  Indian  affairs,  they  would  be  placed  upon  a  bottom  as 
broad  and  substantial  as  the  editor's,  and  all  that  'old  fogy- 
ism'  about  Indian  policy,  begun  by  John  C.  Calhoun  and 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  475 

continued  by  his  successors  in  the  war  and  interior  depart- 
ments, would  be  securely  shelved  forever.  He  is  also  able  to 
give  excellent  advice  in  regard  to  the  contiguous  potato 
patches  of  New  Mexico,  Utah,  Oregon  and  California;  and 
should  the  circulation  of  his  paper  be  still  further  extended, 
will  be  quite  competent  to  regulate  the  affairs  of  the  universe. 
This  paper,  for  some  reason,  which  I  will  not  undertake  to 
determine,  published,  with  apparent  pleasure,  anonymous 
articles  which  were  abusive  of  the  governor  of  New  Mexico; 
and  while  he  did  this,  it  was  withagreat  deal  of  difficulty  that 
the  insertion  of  any  publication,  in  the  nature  of  a  defense  of 
that  gentleman,  could  be  obtained,  although  the  communica- 
tion might  not  be  anonymous.  I  refer  to  a  communication  of 
my  own,  which  appeared  in  the  paper  after  a  considerable 
contest  with  the  editor.  *  *  *  *  j  suppose  that  he  is 
the  representative  of  the  mercantile  interests  in  New  Mexico. 
That  is  one  of  the  influences  which  is  brought  to  bear  against 
Governor  Calhoun.  This  influence  is  more  extended  and 
ramified  than  might  be  supposed.  The  Santa  Fe  merchants 
owe  five,  or  twenty  or  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  St.  Louis  mer- 
chants, to  Boston,  New  York  or  Philadelphia  merchants  and 
all  of  them  are  interested  in  being  paid  their  money,  and  to 
that  extent  are  interested  in  carrying  out  the  views  of  the 
Santa  Fe  merchants.  There  is  another,  a  military  influence 
in  New  Mexico  which  has  been  brought  to  bear  against  this^ 
worthy  governor  of  which  I  shall  presently  speak.  The  peti- 
tion of  my  honorable  contestant  contains  in  itself  matters  and 
averments  altogether  sufficient  for  a  defense  against  all  the 
charges  contained  in  the  memorial,  and,  indeed,  I  may  say 
against  all  the  charges  bearing  directly  or  indirectly  on  the 
election,  that  have  been  put  before  this  House  by  the  honor- 
able gentleman  from  Missouri.  (Mr.  Phelps)  This  memorial 
sets  forth  that  a  notice  of  his  intention  to  contest  my  election 
was  served  upon  me  in  New  Mexico,  and  that  that  notice  of 
contest  contained  this  charge  of  improper  and  illegal  inter- 
ference on  the  part  of  the  governor  of  New  Mexico  and  of  his 
corrupt  influence  in  the  election.  It  acknowledges,  also,  the 
receipt  of  my  answer  which  denies  that  interference  and  cor- 
ruption. Here  then,  is  the  issue  made  up;  and,accordingtothe  law 
of  the  United  States  passed  by  the  Congress  of  the  United 


476  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

States  regulating  the  mode  of  taking  testimony  in  cases  of 
contested  elections  tiiere  was  a  fixed  mode  in  whicli  to  take 
testimony.  Now  the  question  is  why  was  not  that  testimony 
taken?    Here  is  the  reason  set  forth  in  the  memorial: 

'"Mr.  Ashrust  and  myself  have  made  two  attempts  to  take 
the  depositions  for  the  contest;  but  it  is  absolutely  impossible 
to  get  two  justices  of  of  the  peace  together  at  one  time.  Why? 
I  cannot  tell,  but  I  can  very  shrewdly  guess.' '" 

The  orator  continues  discussing  the  subject  of  the  contest, 
quotes  the  law  of  Congress  regarding  election  contests  and 
reproduces  his  answer  to  the  notice  of  contest.  He  then 
proceeds:  "A  short  account  of  the  military  government 
which  existed  in  New  Mexico,  will  account  for  many  circum- 
stances that  have  happened;  will  furnish  the  key  to  many  of 
the  charges  brought  against  Governor  Calhoun;  and  will,  in 
particular,  account  for  the  fact  that  1  stand  here,  returned 
by  a  large  majority.  This  history  will  show  that  I  stood  up 
for  the  people  to  protect  them  against  outrageous  violence — 
outrages  the  most  insufferable  ever  perpetrated  anjnvhere." 

Here  the  author,  to  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  methods 
used  by  the  political  parties  at  that  epoch,  quotes  a  letter 
which  was  published  in  Santa  Fe  in  the  newspaper  '-Union"' 
with  the  date  of  8th  of  October,  1850,  to  which  Weightman 
referred  saying:  "It  is  false  that  the  state  movement  was 
initiated  by  the  military  commandant  of  New  Mexico. 

"The  state  movement  was  initiated  by  sixteen  civilians, 
citizens  of  the  United  States —some  of  American,  some  of 
Mexican  blood-— some  Democrats  and  some  whigs-  some 
natives  of  southern  and  some  of  northern  states.  Their 
address  to  the  people  appeared  in  the  columns  of  the  'New 
Mexican',  December  8th,  1849,  and  was  rephed  to  by  a^ 
counter-address  in  the  columns  of  the  same  paper  signed  by 
sixty-two  other  civilians,  among  whom  were  included  all  the 
judges  of  circuit  courts,  the  prefectos,  the  sheriffs,  the  alcal- 
des, and  in  fact  the  great  body  of  the  officers  of  the  civil  gov- 
ernment of  the  military  commander  all  of  whom  held  their 
offices  at  his  absolute  ivill  and  pleasure. 

"The  state  movement  was  denounced  by  them  as  ai,-factiou!i 
movement,  and  the  movers  as  the  Alvarez  jaction.  As  the 
movement  progressed,   it  was  discovered  that  the  military 


ILLUSTKATICl)    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  477 

commander  had  a  decided  leaning  towards  the  territorial 
party — indeed,  his  avt.s  were  decidedly  partisan  and  against  the 
state  party. 

"The  state  party  at  the  late  elections  triumphed  in  every 
county  except  one,  and  did  so  despite  the  almost  unanimous 
opposition  of  the  judges,  alcaldes,  etc.,  who  held  their  offices 
from  the  quartermaster  department. 

"The  same  combination  exists  today.  Here  is  the  quar- 
termaster, and  his  friends  are  here  with  him,  I  have  merely 
wished  to  show  that  the  present  opponents  of  Governor  Cal- 
houn are  the  legitimate  successors  of  that  old  mihtary  party, 
and  that  it  is  no  wonder  the  man  who  opposed  it  should 
stand  here  elected  triumphantly  by  the  people  and  without 
the  necessity  of  the  improper  and  corrupt  interference  of 
any  one.     I  continue  from  the  article  in  the  Union: 

"The  civil  officers  who  held  their  offices  at  the  will  and 
pleasure  of  the  military  commander,  were  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  in  number,  were  distributed  over  the  whole  coun- 
try, and  all  of  them  except  five  or  six,  opposed  the  state 
movement.  They  were,  of  course,  in  a  state  of  organization 
for  any  purpose  in  which  they  thought  proper  to  act  together, 
and  the  power  they  could  bring  to  bear,  and  did  bring  to 
bear,  that  they  were  not  particularly  scrupulous  in  their 
action  may  be  inferred  from  the  following  from  the  memor- 
ial of  the  legislature  of  New  Mexico  to  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States. 

"The  inhabitants  of  New  Mexico  since  February  2nd,  1848» 
have  groaned  under  a  harsh  law  forced  upon  them  in  time  of 
war  when  they  were  thought  undeserving  of  confidence. 

"The  military  is  independent  of ,  and  superior  to,  the  civil 
power. 

"The  inhabitants  have  no  voice  or  influence  in  making  the 
laws  by  which  they  are  governed. 

"Some  power  other  than  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
has  made  judges  dependent  on  its  will  alone  for  the  tenure 
of  their  office  and  the  amount  and   payment  of  their  salaries, 

"We  are  taxed  without  our  consent  and  the  taxes,  when 
collected,  are  not  applied  to  the  public  benefit,  but  embezzled 
by  officers  irresponsible  to  the  people. 

"No    public  officer  in  New  Mexico  is  responsible  to  the 


478  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

people.  Judges  without  instruction  in  the  law  decide  upon 
life,  liberty  and  property.  Prefectos  and  alcaldes  impose 
fines  and  incarcerate  without  the  intervention  of  a  jury. 

"Alcaldes  assail  the  right  of  the  people  freely  to  exercise 
their  religion  without  restriction,  and  dictate  to  congrega- 
tions, what  priest  shall  administer  the  sacrament  of  the 
church. 

"For  all  these  abuses,  the  memorial  makes  the  military 
commandant  of  New  Mexico  responsible,  and  in  a  particular 
way  the  quartermaster's  department. 

"Now  Mr.  President,  you  will  be  surprised  at  the  amount 
of  pains  I  took  to  reform  that  military  government.  I  have 
a  perfect  stack  of  charges  here,  made  by  me  against  it  to 
Governor  Monroe,  for  oppressions  upon  the  people  to  not 
one  of  which  did  he  pay  any  attention.  I  will  refer  to  them 
by  their  heads,  and  in  the  first  place  I  will  speak  of  Judge 
Houghton."' 

Here  the  orator  introduces  a  series  of  charges  accusing 
Judge  Houghton,  circuit  judge  of  New  Mexico  of  mal- 
feasance and  negligence  in  his  duties,  of  receiving  money 
from  individuals,  and  of  many  other  offenses  therein  speci- 
fied.    He  continues: 

"It  may  be  proper  to  mention  that  I  sent  word  to  Colonel 
Munroe's  'fountain  of  justice"  that  if  he  asked  from  said 
gentleman  an  investigation  and  I  could  not  prove  my  charges 
I  would  freely  and  cheerfully  retract  and  make  amends. 
He  did  not  seek  an  investigation  notwithstanding  he  very  much 
desired  my  good  opinion.  He  had  applied  to  me  for  a  certi- 
ficate of  good  character. 

"We  did  meet  that  day,  and  he  got  no  certificate  of  character 
or  any  concession  whatever.  He  was  willing  to  risk  his  life 
to  obtain  my  endorsement  of  him,  but  feared  to  meet  inves- 
tigation. He  proposed  trial  by  wager  q/  battle,  and  lost  his 
cause.  Here  is  another  document  which  shows  the  inter- 
vention of  civil  authorities  in  the  rights  of  the  clergy  and 
the  people  of  New  Mexico."" 

Judge  Otero  Interferes  In  Church  Matters. 

At  this  place  a  very  extensive  document  appears  in  which 
Mr.    Weightman   shows  the   complaints  of  the  Vicar  Don 


ILLUSTUATKI)    HISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  479 

Juan  Felipe  Ortiz,  who,  at  that  time,  was  the  principal  eccle- 
siastical authority  in  the  Territory,  regarding  civil  interven- 
tion in  the  rights  of  the  church,  Among  these  complaints 
the  action  of  Justice  Otero  looms  up  in  taking  upon  himself 
the  power  to  assign  and  distribute  the  curates  to  the  priests 
who  were  under  suspension  and  were  out  of  the  fold  of  the 
church.  He  quotes  the  case  of  Fathers  Benigno  Cdrdenas 
and  Nicolas  Valencia,  both  under  suspension,  who  by  orders 
of  the  civil  authority  were  in  actual  possession  of  the  curates 
of  Belen  and  Tom(5,  respectively,  the  legitimate  priests.  Baca 
and  Otero,  having  been  expelled  thence.  He  then  inserts 
two  letters  of  himself  (Weightman)  to  the  governor,  one  of 
them  upon  the  same  subject,  and  the  other  upon  several 
abuses  of  authority,  which  he  mentions.  He  then  proceeds; 
"To  these  appeals  of  an  oppressed  and  distressed  people 
Colonel  Munroe  turned  a  deaf  ear.  And  the  unfortunates  of 
Sabinal  were  arrested,  taken  to  the  northern  limits  of  the 
county,  a  distance  of  thirty  miles  from  their  homes,  to  be 
examined,  and  but  for  the  public-spirited  conduct  of  Mr. 
Jos^  Chavez,  of  Padillas,  they  would  all  have  been  there 
incarcerated.  This  gentleman  moved  by  the  generous  im- 
pulses which  nature  planted  in  his  heart,  came  forward  and 
gave  bail  for  the  oppressed  in  the  sum  of  $15,000.00  for  their 
appearance  at  the  next  terra  of  the  criminal  court  in  which, 
despite  the  declaration  of  the  prosecutor  that  no  offense  had 
been  committed,  they  were  indicted,  and  those  of  them,  who 
could  not  give  bail  a  second  time,  were  thrown  into  prison 
until  it  should  be  convenient  to  try  them  at  a  subsequent 
term  of  the  court;  and  some  of  these  were  still  in  jail  when 
Munroe's  administration  ended,  and  Calhoun's  began,  in  the 
month  of  March  last.  Here  is  the  report  of  the  auditor  of 
New  Mexico  charging  certain  officers  with  embezzlement  of 
public  funds '"  , 

Rosenlein  Publicly  Whipped. 

In  this  place  appears  a  letter  citing  the  case  of  Mr.  Simon 
Rosentein,  who  was  arrested,  incarcerated  and  then  whip- 
ped by  order  of  the  military  authority  at  Albuquerque. 
Alluding  next  to  an  article  which  appeared,  under  his  signa- 
ture,  in  the  newspaper,    "Union'",   of  September  8th,  1850, 


480  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Weightman  presented  the  correspondence  had.  between 
Manuel  Alvarez,  the  governor  ad  interim,  and  Colonel  J. 
Munroe.  Alvarez's  letter  complains  of  the  military  inter- 
vention in  the  matter  of  the  state  movement  and  of  the  an- 
swer of  Munroe  upholding  the  authority  he  had  as  the  only 
legal  government  to  intervene  in  the  matter  and  to  convene 
the  legislature.  In  like  manner  he  inserts  a  resolution  of 
both  Legislative  Houses  denouncing  Munroe's  pretentions  to 
act  as  civil  authority  and  sustaining  the  right  of  the  people 
to  organize  a  state  government.  The  dispute  was  referred 
by  Colonel  Munroe  to  the  war  department  in  Washington, 
and  the  result  was  a  letter  from  the  secretary  of  war  which 
says,  in  substance,  that,  "according  to  the  law  recently 
adopted  by  congress  establishing  a  territorial  government 
in  New  Mexico,  it  is  desirable  that  hereafter  the  military 
power  shall  not  intervene  with  the  civil  authority  except  in 
pressing  cases  when  the  necessity  of  preserving  order 
requires  it."     Weightman  continues: 

"It  was  considered  of  sufficient  importance  by  the  execu- 
tive here  to  send  the  letter  of  instructions  of  September  10, 
1850,  directly  to  Santa  Pe,  and  it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Henry  Hardy  who  delivered  the  same  into  the  hands  of 
Colonel  Munroe,  at  Santa  Fe,  on  the  22nd  day  of  October, 
1850. 

"This  positive  order  of  his  superior  was  not  obeyed  by 
Colonel  Munroe.  Keeping  the  people  in  ignorance  of  the 
tenor  of  his  instructions,  he  continued  precisely  as  before  in 
the  exercise  of  his  power  as  civil  and  military  governor  dur- 
ing the  entire  interval  (indicated  in  the  letter  of  instructions) 
between  the  reception  of  his  order  to  abstain,  and  the  organ- 
ization of  the  territorial  government  by  the  installation  of 
Governor  Calhoun,  which  took  place  on  or  about  the  3rd  of 
March,  1851;  and  thus,  with  all  its  repugnant  officers,  whom 
the  people  had  condemned  through  the  ballot  box,  continu- 
ing in  power  a  government  in  which  the  military  was  supreme 
— in  which  he  was  supreme — a  government  which  harassed 
and  oppressed  the  people — which  interfered  in  their  religion 
— which  disturbed  congregations  in  their  own  temples— which 
fined  and  imprisoned  the  people  without  the  intervention  of 
juries— which   taxed  them    without    their    consent — which 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  481 

embezzled  the  taxes  wlien  collected,  and  which  scourged 
them  without  trial. 

"Governor  Calhoun  was  installed  on  March  8, 1851,  and  his 
administration  was  sustained  by  the  people,  because  it  in 
noioise  resembled  Mo)i roe's. 

"Governor  Calhoun  thinks,  as  1  do,  that  the  people  of  New 
Mexico  are  capable  of  self-government,  and  not  the  miserable, 
degraded  and  vicious  people  they  have  been  represented  to 
be  by  the  immaculate  military  government  now  in  that  city 
whom  the  honorable  gentleman  from  Missouri  (Mr.  Phelps) 
has  vouched  as  so  resjjectable.  He  thinks,  as  I  do,  that  they 
deserve  the  kindly  sympathy  of  the  government  and  people 
of  the  United  States.  He  thinks,  as  I  do,  their  right  freely 
to  exercise  their  religion  is  guaranteed  as  well  by  the  treaty 
of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  as  by  the  constitution,  and  should  not 
be  infringed.  He  thinks,  as  I  do,  the  elective  franchise  should 
be  respected,  and  that  for  the  majority  to  govern,  is  demo- 
cratic— republican.  Yes,  Mr.  Speaker,  you  may  feel  sure  that 
the  honor  and  dignity  of  this  government  will  not  be  tar- 
nished by  Governor  Calhoun.  *  *  *  " 

In  this  part  of  his  address  Mr.  Weightman  reproduces  a  very 
extensive  letter  which  under  his  signature  was  published  by 
the  St.  Louis  Republican  giving  an  account  of  the  abuses  of 
military  officers  in  the  elections;  denying  false  rumors  which 
were  being  circulated  regarding  the  supposed  disaffection 
of  the  Mexican  population,  and  the  violence  committed  at 
Ranchos  de  Taos  by  a  party  of  armed  Americans  in  order  to 
prevent  an  election  there  at.  He  also  reproduces  an  individual 
letter  of  Judge  S.  M.  Baird,  popularly  nicknamed  "El  Chino 
Tejano,'"  in  which  the  letter  gives  an  account  of  the  difficulties 
which  occurred  on  the  day  of  election  and  the  outcome  of 
which  was  the  death  of  Burtinett.  Baird's  letter  is  dated  at 
Santa  F^,  January  31st,  1851,  and,  in  part,  says: 

"You  request  me  to  give  you  the  details  of  the  Burtinett 
and  Skinner  affair  at  Los  Ranchos.  I  cannot  just  now  enter 
at  lengthy  details,  as  I  only  received  your  letter  yesterday  at 
Albuquerque.  I  started  at  once  for  Los  Ranchos  and  what 
I  learned  there  about  Burtinett  is  the  following:  On  the  day 
before  the  election,  Mr.  Candido  Ortiz  came  to  my  house  and, 
in  the  course  of  conversation,  asked  me  if  I  intended  to  go  to 


482  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Los  Ranches  the  next  day  to  which  I  repHed  in  the  negative. 
He  then  asked  me  where  I  would  be  on  the  day  fcillowing; 
to  which  I  rephed  that  I  supposed  I  should  be  in  my  house 
the  greater  part  of  the  day.  He  then  remarked  that  he 
should  be  at  Los  Ranchos,  and  that  he  should,  without  doubt, 
fight  with  Ambrosio  Armijo  (the  prefect).  He  repeated  the 
expression,  to  which,  as  well  as  I  can  recollect,  I  replied, 
very  well,  regarding  it  a  mere  gasconade.  I,  however,  that 
morning  went  to  the  polls  at  Albuquerque  for  the  purpose  of 
voting  and  looking  on  to  see  that  no  injustice  was  done.  And 
I  must  say  that  the  Mexican  population,  when  left  to  them- 
selves, are  the  most  orderly  people  I  have  ever  seen  at  any 
election.  I  have  attended  two,  for  the  purpose  of  looking. 
Their  custom  is  to  open  the  polls  by  reading  the  proclama- 
tion of  election  aloud.  They  all  take  their  seats,  draw  their 
'ojas',  punche,  flint  and  steel,  and,  like  philosophers,  fall  to 
smoking  and  conversing  in  the  most  courteous  and  affable 
manner  about  everything,  but  the  election.  One  party  gets 
through  voting  before  the  other  intrudes.  Then  the  judges 
announce  that  they  are  ready  to  receive  the  votes  of  the  other 
party.  It  must  be  understood  that  this  is  the  case  only  in 
precincts  where  Americans  are  absent;  and  I  regret  to  say 
that  this  system  of  good  order  and  harmony  was  interrupted 
on  the  two  occasions  alluded  to  by  the  intrusion  of  Americans 
who  had  not  even  a  right  to  vote  at  the  precinct  in  question, 
and  some  of  them,  under  the  law,  no  right  to  vote  at  all. 

"It  must  also  be  understood  that  breaking  an  election  in 
this  country  is  regarded  as  a  masterly  political  movement  by 
those  who  now  style  themselves  ^the  unfortui^ate  party/  On 
the  morning  of  the  election  I  saw  nothing  of  Mr.  Ortiz  or  the 
Americans  concerned  in  the  affair  at  Los  Ranchos,  until  a 
number  of  votes  had  been  taken,  when  Ortiz,  and,  I  think, 
twelve  Americans  entered  the  room,  Rafael  Armijo  being  with 
them,  and  among  them  Ralf,  and  all  had  bottles  of  liquor  in 
their  hands.  Some  of  the  Americans,  who  were  from  Santa 
F6,  presented  themselves  to  vote  to  which  the  judge  objected. 
(Burtinett  was  one  of  them.)  They  immediately  assumed  a 
threatening  manner  towards  the  judges,  who  it  was  evident 
to  ray  mind,  were  intimidated.  I  then  spoke  to  the  judges, 
and  advised  them  to  receive  the  votes  placing  the  objection 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  4H3 

opposite  their  names  on  the  poll  book.  It  was  accordingly 
done.  Ortiz  also  voted.  One  of  those  veracious  Americans 
]>ledging  himself  that  Burtinett  had  been  discharged,  which 
was  a  falsehood.  He  was  only  on  furlough.  Then  there 
being  no  pretext  for  a  riot  there,  they  left,  I  know  not 
whither  at  the  time.  After  they  had  left  for  the  Ranchos,  I 
was  informed  they  had  gone  in  a  body  to  that  place  for  the 
purpose  of  doing  some  violence,  and  my  informant  stated 
tiiat  one  of  the  party  had  importuned  him  for  his  pistol  until 
he  let  him  have  it  stating  that,  unless  certain  things  were 
doneat  the  Ranchos, there  would  beblood  shed, etc.  Youmust 
recollect  that  the  Ranchos  gives  a  large  majority  against  the 
party  to  which  these  men  belonged,  and  it  was,  I  believe, 
generally  understood,  that  a  part  of  the  system  of  the  oppo- 
sition was  to  break  up  the  elections  at  all  the  precincts 
giving  large  majorities  against  them.  How  the  impression 
got  out,  I  do  not  know.  About  the  time  they  were  prepar- 
ing to  start  for  the  Ranchos,  two  young  men,  natives  of 
Ireland,  by  names  of  Gleason  and  Welsh  came  over  from  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  from  Capt.  Walker's  camp  (where 
they  were  encamped  en  route  for  California)  for  the  purpose 
of  voting  for  Capt.  Reynolds,  Gleason  having  been  in  his 
employment  for  sometime  anterior.  They  were  there  told 
by  some  of  the  party  that  they  would  have  to  go  to  the 
Ranchos  to  vote;  that  no  Americans  were  permitted  to  vote 
at  Albuquerque,  (utterly  false)  and  thus  these  two  unsus- 
pecting young  men  w-ere  decoyed  into  difficulty,  and  Welsh 
badly  wounded.  This  w^as  told  me  by  Gleason  afterwards; 
Ortiz  returned  in  the  evening  wounded,  and  it  was  rumored 
among  the  crowd  that  he  said  he  had  shot  the  president 
of  the  election,  Atanacio  Montoya.  I  went  to  the  Ranchos 
next  day  and  sawMontoyawoundedonthehead;saw Burtinett 
dead;  one  Mexican  shot  in  the  arm;  several  Americans 
wounded.  There  was  one  missing  who  came  into  Albu- 
querque next  day  stating  that  he  had  broken  jail  through  a 
window.  As  no  one  has  ever  been  found  who  knew  any- 
thing of  his  confinement,  it  is  generally  supposed  that  he 
sought  shelter  in  some  outhouse  during  the  panic  and 
fancied  himself  imprisoned,  and  broke  out  of  the  window 
while  the  door  was  open.     Don  Juan  Armijo  states  distinctly 


484  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

that  Glasscock  shot  at  him  five  times  with  a  pistol  before  any 
attempt  at  defense  was  made  on  the  part  of  the  citizens. 
If  any  one  doubts  of  the  hospitality  and  kindness  of  the 
people  of  the  Ranchos  he  has  but  to  go  there,  as  a  gentleman, 
to  change  his  opinions.  I  live  neighbor  to  them  and  have 
never  had  better  neighbors.  If  those  men  had  succeeded  in 
breaking  the  election  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  whole  plan 
and  its  success  would  have  been  a  matter  of  boasting.  Bear 
in  mind  that  some  of  these  men,  as  I  am  informed,  presented 
themselves  at  the  Ranchos  to  vote  after  having  voted  at 
Albuquerque  and  the  refusal  on  the  part  of  the  judges  was 
made  the  pretext  for  the  riots. 

"In  regard  to  the  Skinner  affair,  I  can  add  but  little  to  the 
testimony  that  has  been  published,  although  it  was  badly 
reported." 

In  reference  to  the  Skinner  affair,  Mr.  Weightman  says: 

"Mr.  Juan  Crist6val  Armijo  gave  the  required  bond,  and, 
conscious  that  he  had  violated  no  law  of  the  land,  remained 
quietly  in  his  own  house,  presented  himself  before  the 
district  court  of  the  United  States,  and  Judge  Mower  pre- 
siding, the  bill  against  him  was  ignored  by  the  grand  jury,  * 
*  *  *  And  now  I  ask,  if  the  killing  of  Mr.  Skinner  had  been 
a  murder,  how  is  the  governor  connected  with  such  murder? 
And  I  ask,  sir,  if  you  believe  there  has  been  any  murder 
committed  at  all?  No,  sir;  when  a  man  engaged  in  lawful, 
peaceful  pursuits  under  his  own  roof-tree  with  his  pen  in 
hand,  surrounded  by  his  friends,  d-reaming  of  no  attacks  on 
his  life,  is  suddenly  startled  by  the  presentation  of  a  pistol 
at  his  breast,  kills  his  assailant  or  his  friends  kill  him  at 
once,  no  murder  is  committed,  sir. 

"I  cannot  close  my  remarks  without  saying  a  few  words  of 
denial  of  the  charges  which  have  been  directed  against  the 
people  I  represent.  Should  I  close  my  remarks  without 
speaking  in  their  behalf,  I  would  be  unmindful  of  the  courte- 
sies, and  kindness  and  hospitality  I  have  invariably  received 
in  every  part  of  New  Mexico,  and  be  unworthy  to  represent 
a  people  who,  with  frankness  and  confidence,  have  trusted 
to  me  to  represent  their  true  condition  and  promote  their  in- 
terest and  happiness.  The  people  of  New  Mexico  have  been  re- 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  485 

presented  as  entertaining  feelings  of  deadly  hostility  towards 
the  native  born  citizens  of  the  United  States  which  makes  their 
lives  unsafe  in  New  Mexico,  that  the  New  Mexicans  are  on 
the  very  eve  of  revolt  against  the  government  of  the  United 
States.  So  help  me  heaven,  Mr.  Speaker,  this  is  all  untrue.  I 
assert  it  to  be  untrue  on  my  responsibility  as  a  representa- 
tive, and  honor  as  a  gentleman.  Were  it  true  the  governor  of 
New  Mexico  would  have  long  since  exposed  it,  and  I  would  not 
be  here  as  the  representative  of  such  people.  But  these  are 
7ny  assertions,  I  would  convince  your  reason.  New  Mexico  was 
taken  possession  of  by  Gen.  Kearny  with  1,500  men  'without 
firing  a  gun  or  shedding  a  drop  of  blood."  This  was  when  the 
New  Mexicans  in  time  of  war  were  organized  to  resist  us  and 
desired  to  keep  us  out  of  their  country,  and  when  they  had  a 
right  to  expect  the  support  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico; 
and  now  without  hope  of  assistance  from  Mexico,  with 
more  than  1,500  soldiers  in  their  country  ordered  there  to 
suppress  Indian  depredations,  themselves  unorganized,  it  is 
asserted  that  they  are  at  the  very  verge  of  revolt  against  the 
government  of  the  United  States  whose  power  they  now  full 
well  understand.  Of  all  those  who  have  been  loudest  in  their 
outcries  that  there  was  no  safety  for  American  lives  in  New 
Mexico,  what  two  of  them  have  ever  thought  it  necessary  to 
come  together  for  the  purpose  of  combining  for  self  defense? 
In  the  midst  of  all  this  outcry.  Mr.  Speaker, there  has  been 
no  case  of  a  native  citizen  of  the  United  States  fleeing  from  his 
place  of  business  in  New  Mexico  for  fear  of  his  life.  They  are 
living  now,  and  have  been  all  the  time  in  perfect  security, 
living  in  w^hatever  town  in  New  Mexico  interest  or  freak 
dictated — in  many  cases  a  single  one  living  in  a  town  where 
for  months  at  a  time  he  could  meet  no  one  with  whom  he 
could  converse  in  the  English  language — living  with  New 
Mexicans,  eating  with  New  Mexicans — sleeping  with  New 
Mexicans,  without  even  occurring  to  them  to  fear  the  conse- 
quences of  so  doing,  except  theoretically  when  passing  reso- 
lutions for  political  effect.  This  picture  which  has  been  pre- 
sented of  my  constituents  by  the  old  adherents  of  the  military 
government  is  false  in  coloring  and  untrue  in  details.  1  have 
never  met  in  any  jmrt  of  the  United  States  people  more  hospitable^ 


486  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP   NEW    MEXICO. 

more  law-abiding^  more  kind,  more  gejierous,  more  desirous  of 
improvement,  more  desirous  that  a  general  system  of  education 
should  be  established  among  them,  more  desirous  that  the  many  and 
not  the  Jew  should  govern,  more  apprehensive  of  the  tendency  of 
power  to  steal  from  the  many  for  the  few,  more  desirous  of  seeing 
in  their  own  idiom  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States,  the  history  and  woi'ds  of  the  father  of  his 
country,  the  messages  of  presidents,  and  state  papers  illustrative 
oj  the  spirit  and  genius  oj  our  government.  Among  them  I  have 
met  men  of  incorruptible  integrity,  oj  honor,  refinement,  intelli- 
gence and  information.'' 

The  reader  must  doubtlessly  have  derived  some  pleasure 
from  the  perusal  of  the  preceding  paragraphs,  and  must 
have  at  the  same  time,  learned  the  history  of  that  troublous 
epoch;,  all  that,  notwithstanding  the  interesting  exposure 
made  by  Mr.  Weightman,  was  nothing  else  than  the  begin- 
ning of  many  hardships  which  the  people  of  New  Mexico 
suffered  up  to  the  year  1911,  which  year  will  form  the  most 
luminous  page  of  our  history  because  of  the  fulfillment,  that 
year,  of  the  solemn  promise  made  by  Kearny  in  1846,  and  by 
the  American  government  in  1848,  (ante)  of  giving  us  com- 
plete political  autonomy.  Let  us  now  return  to  the  narrative 
of  what  was  then  occurring  in  the  Territory. 

Alvarez  is  Governor  for  Two  Days. 

In  the  year  1852.  the  dreams  of  Don  Manuel  Alvarez  came 
to  their  realization  in  satisfying  the  ambition  of  his  soul  of 
becoming  governor  of  New  Mexico.  Perhaps  by  a  caprice 
of  destiny  or  as  a  mere  joke,  Governor  Calhoun  intended  to 
play  on  him,  Mr.  Alvarez  happened  to  be  governor  of  New 
Mexico,  without  being  such,  like  the  "reason  without  rea- 
son" of  Don  Quixote.  On  the  30th  of  March,  Governor  Cal- 
houn issued  the  following  announcement: 

"Executive  Department,  Santa  P6,  New  Mexico. 

March  30th,  1852. 

"Having  learned  that,  on  account  of  domestic  affairs  of  an 

afflicting  nature,  the  honorable    Secretary  of  New  Mexico 

must  depart  for  the  United  States  as  soon   as  possible,  and, 

in  virtue  of  the  authority  on  me  conferred  by  the  goverment 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  487 

of  the  United  States,  the  following  announcement  has  been 
issued  and  the  same  is  given  pubhcity  for  the  information  of 
all  those  whom  it  may  concern; 

"Executive  Department. 

Santa  F6,  N.  M.  March  29th,  1852. 
"I,  James  S.  Calhoun,  governor  of  the  Territory  of  New 
Mexico,  trusting  in  the  integrity  and  ability  of  Manuel 
Alvarez,  do,  by  these  presents,  select  him,  and  name  him,  to 
act  as  governor  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  during  my 
absence  from  said  Territory,  said  appointment  to  take  effect 
on  the  tirst  day  of  April  next. 

"Given  under  ray  hand  today,  Monday,  March  29th,  1852, 
at  nine  o'clock,  a.  m. 

James  S.  Calhoun. 
By  the  Governor, 

D.  V.  Whiting, 
(seal)         S.  E.  D." 

On  the  2nd  day  of  April,  1852,  or  on  the  next  day,  the  day 
in  which  Alvarez  should  have  begun  to  act,  his  authority  was 
revoked  by  the  following  announcement. 

"To  all  whom  it  may  concern: 

Know  ye:  That  whereas  I,  James  S.  Calhoun,  governor  of 
the  Territory  of  New  Mexico,  on  account  of  my  health  not 
permitting  it,  I  shall  not  leave  the  Territory  as  soon  as  I  had 
anticipated,  but  shall  continue  acting  as  governor,  as  I 
have  been  acting  until  now;  therefore,  the  order  or  announce- 
ment issued  March  30th,  1852,  in  which  Hon.  Manuel  Alvarez 
was  appointed  governor  ad  interim  of  the  Territory  is 
hereby  annulled,  of  w-hich  act  I  herewith  with  pleasure 
inform  Hon.  Manuel  Alvarez  that  he  may  be  relieved  from 
the  duties  which  he  had  so  kindly  consented  to  assume  at 
my  sincere  request. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  today,  the  2nd  of  April, 
1852. 

James  S.  Calhoun,  Governor.* 
"By  David  V.  Whiting, 

(Seal)  S.  E.  D." 

*Official  copy  in  my  possession.— The  Author. 


488  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

John  Greiner  Acts  as  Governor — Garr  Lane  Succeeds  Him. 

In  the  year  1852,  Governor  Calhoun  had,  in  fact,  to  absent 
himself  for  a  time,  but  when  he  was  compelled  to  take  the 
step,  he  did  not  leave  Mr.  Alvarez  as  acting  governor;  no, 
the  charge  was  assumed  by  Mr.  John  Greiner,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Territory,  who  was  the  only  one,  under  the  organic 
law,  who  could  act  ad  interim.  Mr.  William  Carr  Lane  was 
the  regular  successor  to  Governor  Calhoun,  and  it  was  he, 
Lane,  who  on  December  7th,  1852,  communicated  to  the 
legislature  the  true  situation  of  the  Territory,  and,  on  the 
13th  of  March,  1853,  under  his  own  responsibility,  and  with- 
out any  orders  from  the  American  government,  as  he  him- 
self declares  it,  took  possession  of  all  that  part  of  the  Terri- 
tory laying  on  the  western  bank  of  Rio  del  Norte  and  to  which 
the  government  of  Chihuahua  lay  claim,  alleging  that  that 
part  of  the  Territory  had  not  been  included  in  the  treaty  of 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo.  From  the  message  we  clip  the  following: 

Governor  W.  G.  Lane  to  the  Legislature  of  New  Mexico — Extracts 
From  the  Message. 

(Message  and  Proclamation  herein  referred  to  is  in  pos- 
session of  the  author  of  this  work). 
"Gentlemen  of  the' Legislative  Assembly: 

"During  my  short  residence  in  this  country,  I  have  visited 
six  of  the  nine  counties  which  compose  the  Territory;  and  I 
have  endeavored,  by  every  means  within  my  reach,  to  gain 
some  knowledge  of  the  condition  of  the  people. 

"It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  tirst  aspect  of  things  in  this 
Territory  is  discouraging. 

"We  are  very  distant  from  the  states,  difficult  of  access, 
and  surrounded  by  barbarians  of  doubtful  faith.  The  face 
of  the  country  is  mountainous  and  of  great  elevation,  with  an 
appearance  of  sterility,  from  scarcity  of  water.  The  pDpu- 
lation,  which  does  not  much  exceed  60,000  souls,  is  widely 
scattered,  through  distant  valleys,  over  an  area  so  immense 
that  20  companies  of  United  States  troops  are  insufficient  for 
its  protection  against  the  Indians;  and  3'our  own  people  are 
so  badly  armed  that  they  cannot  protect  their  own  property 
from   depredation.     Agriculture  and  stock  raising,  the  two 


ILLUSTRATKD   HISTOKY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  489 

great  interests  of  the  Territory,  are  depressed,  for  the  want 
of  protection,  for  flocks  and  herds.  Your  mines  are  nearly 
abandoned,  and  their  products,  (gold  and  silver  excepted,) 
will  not  bear  the  transportation. 

"Your  highways  are  in  a  bad  condition  and  the  school- 
master, (an  indispensable  functionary  in  popular  govern- 
ment,) is  rarely  seen  amongst  you. 

"The  country  is  run  over  with  red  and  white  thieves  and 
robbers.  Your  prisons  are  insecure  and  no  appropriation 
has  yet  been  made  by  Congress  for  a  territorial  penitentiary. 
Your  ancient  ways  and  usages  (which  were  based  upon  the 
principles  of  civil  law)  have  been  substituted;  and  these  im- 
perfect laws  are  imperfectly  administered. 

"Your  revenue  laws  are  so  defective,  that  sufficient  funds 
are  not  provided  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  government. 
There  are  sixteen  communities  of  civilized  Indians  scattered 
through  your  settlements  each  governed  by  its  own  laws, 
administered  after  its  own  manner,  and  each  claiming 
exemption  from  the  operation  of  all  civil  regulations  of  the 
Territory — presenting  the  anomaly  of  an  ''Imperium  in 
Imperio",  or  rather  a  series  of  such  anomalies. 

"Business  amongst  you  languishes  and  much  discontent 
prevails:  indeed  a  feeling  of  insecurity  and  uncertainty 
about  the  future  is  felt  by  many  persons.  And  to  crown  all, 
unreasonable  jealousies  and  bickerings  exist  between  the 
natives  of  the  country  and  immigrants. 

"These  discouragements,  would  be  appalling  were  it  not 
evident  to  every  reflecting  mind,  that  all  these  difficulties 
are,  either  temporary,  or  removable  by  proper  exertions.  I 
consider  the  Territory  to  be  now  at  its  lowest  point  of  depres- 
sion; and  feel  assured  that  Providence  has  a  brilliant  future 
in  store  for  her,  if  she  will  be  faithful  to  her  own  interests. 

"Let  us  now  bring  into  view  some  of  the  sources  from 
which  public  and  private  prosperity  may  be  expected  to  flow. 
Your  country  is  one  of  the  ver}^  healthiest  on  the  globe. 
Your  agricultural  products  are  various,  your  soil  rewards 
your  labor  abundantly,  and  your  tillable  lands  may  be 
increased,  perhaps,  more  than  a  thousand  fold,  by  improved 
ocequias  and  by  tanques.  Besides,  at  a  cost  within  your  reach, 
your  acequias  may  be  carried  upon  higher  levels  and  enlarged 


490  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

into  canals, -r-thereby  affording  water  for  irrigation — water 
power  for  maciiinery  and  highways  for  commerca.  The 
scarcity  of  water  is  more  apparent  than  real;  for  excellent 
well-water  has  been  invariably  found  in  valleys  at  depths 
from  fifteen  to  tifty  feet;  and,  I  am  much  mistaken,  if  good 
well-water  cannot  be  procured  at  practicable  depths,  even 
upon  the  Jornada  del  Muerto  and  all  the  mesas  including  that 
extraordinary  tableland,  the  Llano  Estacado.  Our  enterpris- 
ing fellow  citizen,  Seiior  Don  Jesus  de  Loya,  is,  unaided, 
making  the  experiment  of  an  artesian  well  in  the  vicinity  of 
this  city,  and  ought  to  be  assisted,  in  his  enterprise,  by  the 
government;  for,  if  his  experiment  should  be  successful,  who 
can  estimate  the  benefits  from  it  to  the  whole  Territory? 

"Your  facilities  for  stock-raising  are  unequalled;  and  a 
well-organized  volunteer  militia  force  will  protect  your  stock 
from  red  thieves,  and  a  penitentiary  will  rid  you  of  white 
thieves.  Your  rich  mines  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  and 
iron,  and  your  abundant  supply  of  common  salt,  coal,  gypsum, 
marble,  nitre,  and  soda  only  require  time,  capital  and  indus- 
try, with  good  roads  to  make  them  available,  as  great  sources 
of  public  and  private  wealth. 

"From  public  and  private  necessity,  this  continent,  must 
soon  be  crossed,  from  east  to  west,  by  railroad  and  telegraph 
lines,  and,  in  all  probabilities,  one,  or  more  of  those  railroad 
and  telegraphic  lines  will  traverse  New  Mexico.  And  when 
they  do,  what  mighty  change  will  be  the  result!  In  the  mean- 
time caravansaries,  or  station  houses,  a  day's  journey  apart, 
upon  all  the  great  roads  leading  to  the  Territory,  would 
afford  us  a  comparatively  safe,  cheap,  and  rapid  means  of 
communication  with  neighboring  States  and  Territories, 
with  corresponding  beneticial  results.  And,  as  for  our 
crude  laws  and  imperfect  administration  of  them,  our  bad 
roads,  our  want  of  schools,  and  our  difficulties  with  the 
Indians,  time,  perseverance,  mutual  forbearance,  and  the 
exercise  of  wisdom  and  justice  will  assuredly  correct  all 
these  evils, 

"Having  thus  taken  a  hasty  glance  at  the  actual  and  pros- 
pective state  of  thing  in  this  Territory,  allow  me  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  to  some  subjects  which 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  491 

demand  legislative  action  in  order  that  the  public  good  may- 
be promoted. 

"The  whole  body  of  laws  of  this  Territory  needs  revision 
and  amendment,  besides  extension  to  objects  now  unprovided 
for;  but  a  task  of  so  great  a  magnitude  cannot  be  well  per- 
formed in  the  short  space  of  40  days,  the  timeallotted  to  your 
session.  To  legislate  hastily  would  be  to  legislate  improvi- 
dently,  and  thus  to  add  another  chapter  to  the  sad  history  of 
New  Mexican  legislation. 

"All  you  can  effect  of  good,  at  this  time,  will  to  be  correct 
glaring  defects,  in  the  existing  laws,  and  to  enact  some  new 
provisions,  to  enable  officers,  who  are  charged  with  the 
execution  of  the  laws  to  discharge  their  respective  duties 
with  more  advantage  to  the  public. 

"The  criminal  laws  need  your  attention.  The  tardy  exe- 
cution of  these  laws,  and  the  insecurity  of  the  jails  cause 
great  expense  to  the  counties,  and  afford  ample  opportunities 
for  the  escape  of  criminals.  For  the  remedy  of  tnese  things, 
I  suggest  that  the  jurisdiction  of  the  alcalde's  courts  be 
extended  so  as  to  give  them  jurisdiction  for  the  trial  and 
punishment  of  all  larcenies  and  all  the  disturbances  of  the 
peace.  And  that  the  notice  for  the  holding  of  a  special  term 
of  the  circuit  court  for  the  trial  of  criminal  cases  may  be 
reduced  from  30  to  10  days  at  the  discretion  of  the  judge. 

"From  information  derived  from  various  sources,  I  am 
induced  to  believe  that  there  have  been  instances  in  different 
parts  of  the  Territory,  of  gross  neglect  of  official  duty  and  of 
malfeasance  in  office.  To  correct  this  state  of  things  legal 
provision  should  be  made  for  the  adequate  punishment  of  all 
such  offenders. 

"1  also  respectfully  suggest  for  your  consideration, 
whether  it  would  not  be  productive  of  a  more  prompt  and 
efficient  discharge  of  official  duty,  if  authority  were  given  to 
the  executive  to  dismiss  at  his  discretion  all  delinquent  and 
unfaithful  officers,  from  prefect  and  sheriff  down  to  alguacil; 
and  to  till  the  vacancies  thus  created,  until  the  next  session 
of  the  legislature,  at  which  time  a  nomination  for  the  remain- 
ing time  (until  the  next  general  election,)  might  be  made  to 
the  legislative  council. 


492  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

"I  recommend  the  repeal  of  the  law  which  authorizes  the 
licensing  of  gambling  houses;  and  that  the  property  of  the 
poor  shall  be  exempt  from  taxation,  and  also  that  the  wear- 
ing apparel,  and  a  certain  amount  of  household  property 
which  is  indispensable  for  the  support  of  the  family  of  the 
debtor  shall  be  exempted  from  sale  under  execution  for  all 
debts  that  may  be  hereafter  created. 

"The  English  language  is  the  language  of  all  the  depart- 
ments of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and,  in  my 
opinion,  ought  to  be  the  language  in  which  the  laws  of  the 
territory  should  be  enacted. 

"But,  as  it  may  be  considered  a  question  of  mere  expedi- 
ency, I  leave  the  question  whether  the  laws  should  be  passed 
in  English  or  Spanish  to  be  decided  by  you  alone.  Adopt 
whichever  language  you  please,  and  I  shall  be  content,  but 
I  protest,  in  advance,  against  the  laws  being  passed  as  here- 
tofore, in  duplicate, 

"Gentlemen:  In  a  late  communication  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment I  have  said  that  New  Mexico  was  not  so  much  a  con- 
quered province,  as  a  community  that  had  voluntarily 
annexed  itself  to  the  United  States,  that  you  had  surrendered 
to  the  invading  force  without  a  gun  being  fired  on  either  side, 
while  the  force  was  insufficient  for  conquest  had  not  annexa- 
tion been  acceptable  to  you.  I  have  also  stated  that  you 
have  been  disappointed  in  your  high  expectations  of  advant- 
age from  annexation,  and  that  the  laws  and  legal  usages, 
which  have  been  introduced  from  the  states,  are,  in  many 
particulars  unsuited  to  the  present  condition  and  that  dis- 
content is  more  or  less  prevalent. 

"I  did  not  speak  of  your  great  losses  of  property  by  Indian 
depredations,  since  the  time  of  annexation,  but  I  spoke  of 
the  present  insecurity  of  property  from  Indian  depredations, 
and  I  admitted  that  all  the  cases  of  discontent  might,  per- 
chance, cause  some  disturbances  of  the  peace  in  some  partic- 
ular places,  but  I  expressed  the  confident  opinion,  that  the 
great  mass  of  the  people  were,  and  would  continue  to  be 
faithful  to  their  allegiance  to  the  United  States  under  all 
trials;  and  that  the  idea  of  revolution  was  a  chimera  of  heated 
imaginations  only.  These  opinions,  I  am  persuaded,  will  be 
fully  endorsed  by  you  all. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  49)5 

"I  also  urge  upon  all,  to  learn  the  English  language,  and  to 
adopt  all  the  customs  of  the  United  States  that  are  suitable 
and  proper  for  their  country;  but  I  do  not  advise  them  to 
change  any  of  their  beneficial  or  praiseworthy  customs,  nor 
do  I  advise  them  to  forget  their  parent  stock,  and  the  proud 
recollections  that  cluster  around  Castilian  history,  I  do  not 
advise  them  to  disuse  their  beautiful  language — to  lay 
aside  their  dignified  manners  and  punctilious  attention,  the 
proprieties  of  social  life.  And  I  sincerely  hope,  that  the 
profound  deference  that  is  now  paid  to  parents  by  their 
children,  and  the  great  respect  paid  to  age  by  the  young,  will 
undergo  no  change. 

William  Carr  Lane. 
Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  December  7,  1852." 

Lane  Takes  Possession  of  the  Disputed  Territory. 

That  portion  of  the  Territory  herein  referred  to  was  at  that 
time  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the  Indians,  and  as  the 
important  towns  of  Las  Cruces,  Mesilla  and  other  villages 
were  within  its  area.  Governor  Lane  thought  that  circum- 
stances demanded  that  he  should  take  the  step  he  did,  in 
order  to  protect  the  inhabitants  of  those  towns,  and,  accord- 
ingly, he  issued  the  following  proclamation: 

"Proclamation." 

"Whereas:  1.  A  portion  of  the  Territory  on  the  west  side 
of  Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  thirty-four  miles  wide  by  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy  miles  long,  be  the  same  more  or  less,  is  now 
claimed  by  the  United  States  of  America,  and  by  the  Mex- 
ican Republic,  respectively,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo. 

"2.  From  the  year  1^24  and  anterior  thereto  until  the 
year  1851,  this  portion  of  territory  was  acknowledged  to  be 
within  the  limits  of  New  Mexico,  but  in  the  year  1351  the 
state  of  Chihuahua  assumed  jurisdiction  over  the  same,  with- 
out producing  any  authority  for  this  act,  from  the  Republic 
of  Mexico,  and  without  having  obtained  the  consent  of  the 
United  States  or  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico,  and  in 
defiance  of  the  remonstrance  of  a  large  portion  of  the  inhab- 


494  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

itants  of  the  disputed  territory  who  then  numbered  about 
2,000  souls. 

"3.  During  the  discussion  of  the  boundary  question, 
under  the  Treaty  of  Peace,  the  Commissioner  of  Mexico  pro- 
posed to  abandon  a  part  of  this  disputed  territory  by  divid- 
ing it  between  the  tvv-o  Republics;  and  during  the  year  1852, 
the  United  States  virtually  asserted  a  right  of  sovereignty 
over  all  the  territory  in  dispute. 

"4.  The  claim  of  Chihuahua  to  this  disputed  territory,  is 
believed  to  be  based  upon  the  unwarrantable  assumption 
that  the  Board  of  Commissioners  had  agreed  upon  a  bound- 
ary line  between  Chihuahua  and  New  Mexico;  and  that  their 
agreement  in  the  premises  was  binding  upon  both  the  United 
States  and  the  Mexican  Republic,  and,  therefore,  final; 
whereas  a  valid  agreement  had  not  been  made,  and  has  not 
yet  been  made,  by  said  board;  and,  moreover,  the  action  of 
the  board  has  been  virtually  repudiated  and  nullified  by  the 
United  States. 

"5.  Each  of  the  high  contracting  parties  to  the  Treaty  of 
Guadalupe  ea;  ?recesi!to^e  tacitly  reserved  the  right  to  accept  or 
reject  the  decisions  of  the  Board  of  Boundary  Commission- 
ers; and  if  the  board  had  assigned  the  city  of  Chihuahua  and 
the  country  north  of  it  to  the  United  States;  or  the  city  of 
Santa  Fe  and  the  country  south  of  it  to  the  Mexican  Repub- 
lic, the  action  of  the  board  would  certainly  have  not  been 
regarded  as  final. 

"6.  Ever  since  the  territory  in  question  was  thus  forc- 
ibly and  illegally  annexed  to  the  state  of  Chihuahua,  that 
state  has  signally  failed  to  protect  the  inhabitants  of  the 
territory  in  their  rights  of  persons  or  of  property,  or  of 
conscience,  and  moreover  has  not  made  a  reasonable  defense 
against  border  Indian  depredations,  and,  thereby,  prevented 
reclamations  against  the  United  States. 

"7.  The  present  revolutionary  condition  of  the  Mexican 
Republic,  precludes  the  hope  of  adequate  protection  being 
afforded  by  that  republic,  to  the  inhabitants  in  this  disputed 
territory,  for  the  time  being;  and  a  large  portion  of  the 
inhabitants  now  claim  the  protection  of  the  United  States 
and  solicit  the  re-annexation  to  New  Mexico  from  which  it 
was  illegally  wrested  by  the  State  of  Chihuahua. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  495 

"Now,  therefore,  as  the  United  States  has  been  wrongfully 
deprived  of  the  portion  of  the  territory  in  question,  even 
should  the  Mexican  Republic  have  a  rightful  claim  to  it, 
which  is  denied;  and,  as  by  the  law  of  nations,  the  United 
States  is  justly  entitled  to  exercise  jurisdiction  over  the  same 
and  protect  the  inhabitants  thereof,  in  all  their  rights  until 
the  claim  of  the  Mexican  Republic  shall-be  fully  recognized  by 
the  United  States  and,  as  the  probable  time  of  the  settlement 
of  the  boundary  question  is  indefinitely  postponed,  and  the 
interest  of  the  United  States  and  the  rights  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  territory  are  inadequately  protected,  I,  William  Oarr 
Lane,  governor  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  (upon  my  own 
official  responsibility  and  without  orders  from  the  cabinet  at 
\Vashington)do,  hereby,  in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  retake 
possession  of  the  said  disputed  territory  to  be  held  provision- 
ally by  the  United  States  until  the  question  of  boundary  shall 
be  determined  by  the  United  States  and  the  Mexican  Repub- 
lic. And  I  do  hereby  require  all  civil  and  military  officers  of 
the  United  States  and  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  whom 
it  ma}' concern  to  execute  the  laws  of  the  United  States  and 
of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  over  the  territory  afore- 
said, which  is  provisionally  attached  to,  and  made  a  part 
of  the  County  of  Dona  Ana,  in  the  Territory  of  New 
Mexico. 

"And  to  the  end  that  there  may  be  no  misunderstanding, 
on  the  part  of  the  citizens  of  New  Mexico  as  to  the  boundary 
line  between  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  and  the  state  of 
Chihuahua,  the  same  and  well  known  boundary  between  this 
state  and  territory,  as  established  by  a  decree  of  the  Mexi- 
can congress  of  the  27th  of  July,  1824,  as  delineated  upon 
Desurnell's  Treaty  map  is  hereby  provisionally  established; 
which  boundary  line  has  its  initial  point  in  the  main  channel 
of  the  Rio  Grande  above  the  dam  of  the  Acquia  Madre 
across  the  Rio  Grande  and  below  Frontera  eight  miles  more 
or  less  north  of  the  town  of  El  Paso.  The  said  line  to  run 
from  the  Rio  Grande  and  thence  northwardly  until  it  reaches 
the  Rio  Gila  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  afore- 
said. 

"In  testimony  whereof,  I  hereto  subscribe  my  name,  and 
cause  the  seal  of  the  Territory  to  be  affixed  at  the  town  of 


496  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Dona  Ana,  the  13th  day  of  MarchA.  D.,1853,  and  in  the  seventy- 
seventh  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States. 

(L.  S.)  Wm.  Carr  Lane. 

By  the  Governor,  John  Greiner,  Secretary. 

By  MiGL  A.  Otero,  Private  Secretary." 

Gadsden  Treaty— The  Civil  War. 

The  taking  of  possession  of  the  territory  under  dispute 
was  followed  by  the  purchase  of  said  territory,  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  paying  Mexico  the  sum  of  $10, 000,- 
000 — the  disputed  territory  was  thus  formally  annexed 
to  New  Mexico  in  virtue  of  the  treaty  known  as  "The 
Gadsden  Treaty,"  signed  in  Mexico  on  December  30th,  1858. 
By  the  consummation  of  said  treaty  no  other  important  inci- 
dent or  event  occurred  until  the  year  1861,  when  the  Confe- 
deration of  Southern  States  was  formed  which  brought  as  a 
result  the  civil  war,  which  closed  on  April  9th,  1865,  with  the 
surrender  of  General  Lee  to  General  Grant.  This  subject 
will  be  referred  to  in  an  another  part  of  this  work. 

First  Railroad  Survey. 
In  the  year  1854  the  first  survey  was  made  for  a  railroad 
line  designated  by  the  name  of  "Pacific  Railroad,"'  which 
started  from  Rio  Colorado  and  extended  to  Rio  del  Norte.  In 
the  next  chapter  we  shall  give  an  accountof  all  the  industries 
and  other  matters  worthy  of  mention. 


~^Z  I 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Agriculture,  Geography,  Topography,  Boundaries — Live  Stock  Indus- 
try— Civil  War — War  With  the  Apaches  and  Navajoe  Indians — 
War  With  Spain  Churches — Indians — Mineral  Branch — Cop- 
per, Cold  and  Silver — Missions  and  Missionaries — Franciscans — 
Orphanages — Hospitals  at  Silver  City,  Albuquerque,  Gallup,  Las 
Vegas  and  Deming. 

1853-1912. 

This  chapter  was  written  on  the  historical  events  which 
occurred  from  the  year  1853  to  the  year  of  1912,  except  mat- 
ters that  need  separate  presentation,  such  as  the  statehood 
question,  educational  establishcaents  and  the  economical 
development  of  the  Territory;  which  matters  shall  be  dealt 
with  in  separate  chapters,  and  in  another  chapter  wherein 
matters  of  a  general  character  shall  be  attended  to,  alpha- 
betically detailing,  so  far  as  it  may  be  possible,  said  events. 
Within  said  dates,  the  Territory  developed  more  than  in  all 
its  history  from  1853  back,  and,  concerning  that  develop- 
ment, we  shall  now  treat,  commencing  first  with  agriculture. 

Up  to  the  year  1812,  it  is  sufficient  for  us  to  consult  the 
work  of  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino,  "Noticias  Hist6ricas,"  in 
order  to  know  the  exact  condition  of  agricultu  re  and  industry 
before  and  up  to  that  date.  The  account  follows,  which  Pino 
gives  us  upon  that  particular: 

Products  of  Its    Agriculture  and  Industry — 1812. 

"The  abandonment  and  the  distance  in  which  the  province 
is  found,  together  with  the  great  dangers  in  the  highways, 
by  reason  of  the  hostile  tribes  are,  with  so  many  others, 
causes  which  render  the  task  impossible  of  making  any 
exports  out  of  even  the  agricultural  products.  Wine  is  the 
only  product  that  yields  some  returns.  To  reckon  the  wealth 
of  the  agricultural  branch  there  is  no  better  standard  than 
the  total  reached  by  the  duties  (tithes)  or  excise  which  is  from 
9  to  10  duros  (dollars)  per  hundred  a  year.     This  total  would 


500  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

be  very  much  higher,  if  the  output,  instead  of  being  exported 
to  Durango,  should  remain  in  the  province.  Its  circulation 
would  raise  the  value  of  the  fruits  gathered  from  the  excise 
which,  according  to  this  approximate  calculation,  are,  as 
follows : 

Corn fanegas  (fanega-3  bushels)     3,000 

Wheat "  2,000 

Vegetables "  1,000 

Wool lbs.  25,000 

Cotton "  1,000 

Wine gallons  1,250 

Wethers  and  ewes,     head  5,000 

Calves   head  200 

Goats head  200 

Agricultural  Returns — Manufactures  of  Woolen  Goods — Pino  Continu- 
ing. 
"No  manufactures  are  known  in  this  province  except  those 
of  wool  and  cotton.  Necessity  has  compelled  the  weaving  of 
flannels,  serge,  blankets,  heavy  blankets,  baizes,  coarse 
stuffs,  carpets,  cotton  hose,  and  table  linen;  bridles  and 
spurs  are  also  made.  From  a  few  years  ago  down  to  this 
date  we  have  become  acquainted  there  with  fine  looms  for  the 
manufacture  of  cotton,  through  an  artist  sent  by  the  govern- 
ment who  has  taught  the  trade  to  several  persons  in  a  very 
short  time.  Pine,  though,  I  call  their  product,  it  is  only  so 
as  compared  with  what  was  formerly  manufactured,  since  it  is 
nothing  more  than  a  coarse  texture  as  compared  with  the 
fine  linen  from  China.  The  products  of  these  lines  hardly 
yield  a  result  in  favor  of  the  province  beyond  60  duros  per 
year;  and  even  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  this  return,  the 
dealers  are  obliged  to  export  their  goods  at  their  expense 
and  risk,  and  to  seek  buyers  in  the  other  provinces." 
Pino  continues  his  talk  concerning  agriculture,  and  says: 
"Agriculture,  industry  and  commerce  are  the  three  bases 
of  prosperity;  but  none  of  these  are  to  be  found  in  that  pro- 
vince on  account  of  its  situation;  on  account  also  of  the 
neglect  with  which  the  government  has  heretofore  treated  it 
and  because  of  the  shrinkage  undergone  by  the  small  income 
it  annually  acquires  from  its  fruits  and  manufactures.     I 


ILLUSTKATEU    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  501 

have  said  that  the  introduction  of  goods  for  its  annual  use 
are  worth  112  pesos  (dollars)  that  only  GO  pesos  is  the  return, 
the  result  being  then  52  pesos  against  it.  The  salaries  paid 
by  the  public  treasury  to  the  governor  of  the  province,  his 
assistants  and  121  soldiers  are  the  only  resources  which 
keep  up  the  circulation;  but  in  such  a  meagre  way  that  up 
to  a  short  time  ago,  as  already  said,  most  of  its  inhabitants 
were  not  acquainted  with  money." 

Pino,  in  speaking  of  the  indolence  of  the  inhabitants  of 
New  iMexico  occasioned  by  the  frequent  incursions  of  the 
Indians,  says: 

"Agriculture  is  entirely  abandoned  for  the  inhabitants  of 
that  country  do  not  dedicate  themselves  iconsiderably  to 
planting,  from  which  labor  doubtless,  they  would  derive 
many  benefits.  They  scarcely  plant  as  much  as  they  believe 
necessary  for  their  maintenance  during  a  portion  of  the 
year,  thus  exposing  themselves  for  the  remainder  of  it  to  a 
thousand  miseries;  hence  the  reason  that  the  price  of  grain 
values  suffer  many  changes. 

"In  the  article, 'vegetable  productions'  an  idea  is  already 
given  concerning  vegetables  and  vegetable  gardens,  where- 
fore it  is  useless  to  repeat  that  corn,  wheat,  beans,  etc.,  are 
raised;  a  very  good  grade  of  cotton  and  plenty  of  tobacco  are 
also  grown. 

"Immense  areas  of  natured-favored  lands  with  good  tem- 
peratures for  agricultural  productions,  which  ought  to  form 
the  fortune  of  New  Mexicans,  are  found  abandoned  because 
of  the  barbarous  tribes  occupying  them,  or  because  they  are 
frequently  invaded  by  them;  but  the  peace  which  New 
Mexico  should  make  with  these  foes  would  bring  into  her 
domain  those  valuable  lands  from  which  agriculture  could 
receive  an  extraordinary  impulse."  * 

The  Navajoe  Raids — Development  of  Agriculture. 
From  1812  to  1848  agriculture  and  the  other  industries 
continued  in  the  same  condition  as  Pino  described  them  in 
his  time  and  even  after  1848,  although  their  development 
became  more  marked,  in  1865,  when  the  American  govern- 
ment tinally  succeeded  in  reducing  the  Navajoe  Indian  tribe 
*  Pino:     "Not.  Hist."  pp.  20-21. 


502  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

by  transferring  them  as  prisoners  of  war  from  the. land  they 
had  inhabited  from  time  immemorial  to  Bosque  Redondo 
(Fort  Sumner)  where  they  remained  until  1868,  when  they  were 
allowed  to  return  to  their  reservation.  The  Navajoe  Indians 
by  their  continuous  incursions  and  depredations,  before  their 
surrender  kept  all  the  industries  entirely  at  a  standstill. 
At  the  end  of  the  civil  war,  and  after  the  pacification  of  the 
Indians,  New  Mexico  entered  into  the  full  development  of 
its  industries,  all  of  them  being  pushed  to  a  phenomenal 
degree,  so  much  so  that  at  the  present  time  (1912)  we  are 
assured  that  no  less  than  45  per  cent  of  its  inhabitants  are 
engaged  in  agriculture,  all  of  them  possessing,  according  to 
trustworthy  data,  over  11,834  farms  with  an  acreage  of  tillable 
lands  of  5,739,878  acres,  the  total  value  of  said  farms  amount- 
ing to  the  sum  of  $53,737,825,  and  the  value  of  the  improve- 
ments amounting  $20,888,814.  The  cereals  raised  with  more 
certainty  are  wheat,  corn,  potatoes,  vegetables  of  all  classes, 
alfalfa,  beet-roots,  tobacco,  cotton,  all  of  its  products  being  of 
such  good  quality  that  in  the  World's  Fair  Exposition  held  at 
Chicago,  (1893)  the  wheat  raised  in  New  Mexico  received  the 
first  premium,  and,  at  the  Buffalo  Pan-American  Exposition, 
New  Mexico's  agricultural  and  horticultural  exhibit  re- 
ceived two  gold  medals,  three  bronze  medals  and  five  special 
mention  certificates,  and  in  the  exposition  held  at  St.  Louis,, 
when  the  Louisiana  purchase  was  being  celebrated,  the 
peaches  from  New  Mexico  received  the  first  premium, 
despite  the  competition  of  California'sfamous  peaches,  so  that 
in  the  horticultural  branch  also  the  fruit  of  New  Mexico 
may  be  considered  as  good,  if  not  better,  than  that  of  the 
richest  and  most  populous  states.  What  has  been  said 
suffices  to  demonstrate  the  flourishing  condition  of  the  agri- 
cultural branch  in  New  Mexico  in  our  epoch.  Let  us  now 
consider  her  geography,  topography,  boundaries,  wars  and 
her  industry,  and  her  live  stock  resources.  * 

Geography,  Topography  and  Boundaries. 
Before  New  Mexico  became  part  of  the  United  States  her 
geographical  and  topographical  description  was  the  following,^ 

according  to  Pino: 

*  Pino:     "Not.  Hist  "  p.  9. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  i303 

"From  north  to  south  it  had  340  leagues,  and  from  east  to 
west,  350,  its  boundaries  being  on  the  north,  with  Louisiana 
and  other  territories  whose  names  have  not  as  yet  been  fixed. 
On  the  south,  with  the  Provinces  of  New  Viscay,  Sinaloa  and 
the  New  Kingdom  of  Leon.  On  the  east,  with  the  Provinces 
of  Coahuila  and  Texas,  and  on  the  west,  with  Sonora." 

According  to  Escudero,*  "the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  was 
one  of  the  most  remote  parts  of  the  repubhc;  it  hes  on 
the  extreme  north,  and  its  geographical  extension  is  com- 
prised from  33-  to  40-  latitude,  it  has  185  leagues  from  north 
to  south,  and  almost  the  same  from  east  to  west,  its  confines 
on  the  north  are  by  land  absolutely  unknown  to  us;  on  the 
east,  the  States  of  Coahuila  and  Texas  and  the  Territory  of 
Arkansas  belonging  to  the  United  States  of  America;  on  the 
south,  it  is  bounded  by  the  State  of  Chihuahua,  and  on  the 
west,  by  that  of  Sonora.  Nothing  definite  can  be  said  regard- 
ing its  elevation  over  the  sea  level  and  other  matters  relative 
to  its  position  for  lack  of  data  for  that  purpose." 

Arizona  Organized. 

Until  the  year  1863,  when  the  Territory  of  Arizona  was 
formed  from  the  western  part  of  New  Mexico,  the  boundaries 
of  New  Mexico  on  the  west  extended  as  far  as  the  State  of 
Sonora,  and  on  the  north,  until  the  year  1867,  it  included  the 
Counties  of  Archuleta,  Conejos  and  Durango,  and  part  of  Las 
Animas,  which  form  now  part  of  the  State  of  Colorado;  that  is 
to  say,  in  the  year  1863,  all  that  portion  of  territory  west  of 
longitude  109^  was  segregated  by  Congress,  and  from  it  was 
formed  the  now  State  of  Arizona;  and  in  1867,  the  territory 
north  of  latitude  37^  was  annexed  to  Colorado,  so  that  the 
boundaries  of  New  Mexico  at  the  present  epoch,  1912,  are: 
On  the  north,  parallel  37;  on  the  south,  parallel  32;  on  the  east, 
meridian  103;  on  the  west,  meridian  109;  or.  geographically 
speaking,  it  is  bounded  on  the  north,  by  Colorado  and  Utah; 
on  the  east,  by  Texas  and  Oklahoma;  on  the  south,  by  Texas 
and  the  Republic  of  Mexico;  on  the  west,  by  Arizona.  Let  us 
now  treat  of  the  live  stock  industry. 

*  Escudero-     "Estadistica  de  Varios  Estados,"  p.  1.}. 


504  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Live  Stock  Industry— Governor  Narbona's  Report- 

From  what  the  reader  has  read  in  the  preceding  chapters 
he  will  remember  that  the  live  stock  and  horse  raising  in- 
dustry could  not  be  developed  under  the  governments  of 
Spain  and  Mexico  for  the  reasons  given  in  the  preceding 
paragraphs;  despite  of  that  fact,  Governor  Antonio  Narbona 
in  the  year  1827,  made  a  detailed  report  to  the  Mexican 
government  of  the  condition  of  the  live  stock  and  horse  rais- 
ing branch  up  to  that  date,  and  Barreiro  included  said  report, 
in  his  own  official  report  to  the  Mexican  government  in  the 
year  18B4;  *  and  the  same  is  hereinwith  reproduced  that  the 
difference  may  beobserved  between  the  development  of  said 
industrial  branch  of  those  epochs  and  ours.  Narbona's 
report  on  opposite  page. 

In  this  report  we  see  that  there  were  at  that  date  (1827) 
5,000  head  of  cattle,  240,000  head  of  sheep,  same  being 
then  valued  as  follows:  The  sheep  at  §120,000,  and  the 
cattle  at  $40,000;  we  also  saw  that  the  number  of  horses  was 
550,  valued  at  $5,500;  the  number  of  mules,  2,150,  valued  at 
$63,750,  and  the  number  of  mares  was  300,  valued  at  $2,400. 
In  our  times,  (1912)  according  to  the  latest  official  statistics, 
we  have  over  1,050,000  head  of  cattle,  over  5,875,000  head  of 
sheep,  more  than  150,000  goats,  no  less  than  100,000  head  of 
horses,  the  sheep  yielding  annually  a  total  product  of  nearl}^ 
25,000,000  pounds  of  wool. 

We  shall  now  treat  of  the  wars  in  which  New  Mexico  has 
figured  from  the  time  of  the  change  of  flags  down  to  our 
days. 

Wars. 

The  reader  doubtless,  is  familiar  with  the  history  of  the 
civil  war  between  the  northern  and  southern  states,  caused 
by  the  question  of  slavery,  from  the  year  1861  to  1865.  That 
fact  taken  for  granted,  we  shall  limit  ourselves  to  relate 
brielly,  the  part  which  New  Mexico  took  in  that  war  without 
further  delving  into  its  causes,  origin  and  consequences. 

*  Barreiro:     En.  Pino  "Not.  Hist."  p.  24. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


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506  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Civil  War. 

When  hostilities  formally  broke  out  in  1861,  the  federal 
government  had  httle  or  no  confidence  in  the  patriotism  of 
the  sons  of  New  Mexico,  or,  at  least,  it  treated  them  with 
the  same  indifference  they  had  been  treated  by  the  govern- 
ments of  Spain  and  Mexico.  It  is  true  that  it  kept  troops  in 
the  Territory  to  hold  the  Navajoes  and  the  rest  of  the  nomadic 
tribes  of  savage  Indians  in  submission,  because  it  had  as- 
sumed that  obhgation  by  the  terms  of  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe 
Hidalgo.  That  is,  at  least,  what  such  historians  as  Bancroft, 
Haines  and  others  tell  us  about  that  matter.  Haines  says: 
"When  the  military  divisions  were  being  designated  for 
west  of  the  Alleghanies,  the  Department  of  New  Mexico, 
which  included  New  Mexico  only,  was  entrusted  to  Col. 
R.  S.  Camby;  but  no  expenditure  of  money  was  authorized, 
and  no  troops  were  mustered  in  for  its  defense,  for  it  was 
not  believed  that  the  far  west  would  be  exposed  to  attacks 
from  the  enemy;  yet  this  was  precisely  the  point  that  was 
threatened,  and  only  the  faithfulness  and  loyalty  of  the  sons 
of  New  Mexico  spared  the  nation  a  crushing  calamity.'"* 

The  above  noted  authority  was  referring  to  the  attack 
made  by  the  Texans  through  the  south  of  New  Mexico  in 
which  they  had  so  well  succeeded  that  they  even  took  Santa 
F6,  the  Capital  of  New  Mexico. 

New  Mexico's  Patriotism. 

During  the  civil  war  to  which  we  have  been  referring,  it 
was  proved,  or,  to  state  it  better,  the  sons  of  New  Mexico 
proved  their  patriotism  to  the  American  government  even 
more  than  did  the  other  States  and  Territories  of  the  Union. 
Scarcely  thirteen  years  had  come  and  gone  from  the  date  in 
which  fate  had  separated  them  from  the  mother  country, 
the  Mexican  Repubhc,  when  the  bloody,  fratricidal  war 
between  the  northern  and  the  southern  States  broke  out, 
and  the  sons  of  Now  Mexico  threw  themselves  unhesitatingly 
to  the  number  of  6000  into  the  field  of  honor  to  tight  the 
battles  for  the  preservation  of  the  American  government,  to 

*Haines'  "'Hist,  of  New  Me.xico,''  p.  222. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  507 

which  they  had  adhered  voluntarily,  sealing  with  their  blood 
the  oath  they  had  given  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  American 
Union, 

An  American  historian  speaking  of  the  patriotism  of  the 
sons  of  New  Mexico  in  that  war,  says: 

"The  Territory  contributed  with  6U00  volunteers  to  the 
armies  of  the  Union  between  the  years  1861  and  1865.  The 
military  service  to  which  they  were  assigned  was  of  the 
hardest  and  most  arduous,  as  it  included  long  marches,  and 
unnumbered  toils  having  at  the  same  time  to  deal  both  with 
the  confederate  armies,  and  to  engage  continuously  with  the 
savage  Indians,  In  that  sort  of  service  neither  enthusiasm 
nor  patriotism  could  be  expected  from  them, 

"The  troops  of  New  Mexico,  however  by  means  of  their 
heroism  furnished  to  the  history  of  the  war  one  of  its  bright- 
est pages  through  the  heroism  displayed  in  the  battle  of 
Apache  Canon,  on  the  22nd  of  March,  1862,  where  they  fought 
against  the  southern  troops  which  had  already  taken  the 
Capital,  Santa  F^,  and  were  marching  on  Fort  Union,  Gen- 
eral Sibley  being  in  command  of  the  confederates,  and 
Colonel  Slough  in  command  of  the  federal  troops.  The 
battle  resulted  in  favor  of  the  Union  troops  compelling  the 
Texans  to  abandon  the  Territory."  * 

In  the  battle  referred  to  by  the  quoted  author,  the  fate  of 
the  war  was  determined,  as  Haines  (supra)  has  said;  for  had 
not  the  confederates  been  routed  in  that  battle  they  would 
most  assuredly  have  taken  Fort  Union,  and  thus  secured  a 
great  advantage  over  the  federal  troops. 

GoL  Manuel  Chavez  the  Hero  of  the  Glorieta  Battle. 

The  said  quoted  author  is  not  sufficiently  impartial  in  giv- 
ing credit  to  whom  in  justice  the  credit  of  that  victory 
belongs.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Don  Manuel  Chavez  was  the 
hero  of  that  memorable  event,  for  he  it  was  who,  with  a  small 
escort  of  New  Mexican  soldiers,  traversed  the  mountains 
in  the  thickest  part  of  the  battle  and  arrived  at  the  place 
where  the  Texans  had  their  camp  and  wagons  with  their 
provisions  of  war.     He  set  both  camp  and  wagons  on  fire, 

*Ritch's  "New  Mexico," 


508  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

thus  destroying  not  only  their  equipages  of  war,  but  also 
their  food  supply  and  insuring,  by  means  of  that  intrepid 
exploit,  the  victory  of  the  federal  troops. 

Many  were  the  native  officers  of  New  Mexico  who  acquired 
distinction  in  that  war,  among  them  we  shall  mention 
Col.  Don  Francisco  P.Abreu,Col.  JoseFranciscoChavez,Capt. 
Don  Rafael  Chacon,  Capt.  Nicolas  Quintana,  Capt.  Saturnino 
Baca,  and  Major  J.  D.  Sena  Sr.,  and  among  the  old  American 
residents  of  New  Mexico,  the  one  who  most  distinguished 
himself  during  the  war  was  Colonel  Kit  Carson, 

War  With  the  Apache  and   Navajoe  Indians — Capture  of  Geronimo — 
Treaty  with  the  Navajoes. 

In  order  to  subdue  the  tribes  of  the  Navajoe  and  Apache 
Indians,  the  American  government  was  obliged  to  go  to  the 
expense  of  more  than  $50,000,000,  and  keep  up  an  army  in 
continuous  warfare  from  the  year  1849  to  the  year  1886, 
when  the  Navajoes  finally  surrendered  in  New  Mexico  as  did 
the  Apaches  in  New  Mexico  and  Arizonaj  that  is  to  say,  the 
final  submission  of  the  Navajoes,  as  we  have  already  said 
elsewhere  in  this  chapter,  was  efl'ected  in  the  year  1868,  and 
that  of  the  Apaches  in  1886,  when  General  Nelson  A.  Miles 
succeeded  in  capturing  the  dreaded  Indian  chief,  Ger6nimo, 
who  was  on  that  same  year  taken,  with  all  his  captains  and 
other  Indians  to  Port  Marion  in  the  State  of  Florida.  From 
that  year  on  the  incursions  of  the  Indians  ceased  forever 
and  the  people  of  New  Mexico  were  enabled  to  enter  upon  the 
most  complete  development  of  all  its  industries. 

Before  treating  of  the  third  and  last  war  of  our  times,  the 
war  with  Spain,  the  author  takes  leave  to  recall  to  the  reader 
the  treaty  which  the  Navajoe  Indians  made  with  Colonel  Doni- 
phan in  1846,  with  the  only  object  of  proving  that  the  good 
faith  of  the  Navajoes  and  of  the  other  savage  tribes  was  not 
what  Doniphan  and  his  comtemporaries  aftirmed.but  that  they 
had  jeered  at  Doniphan  in  the  same  manner  they  had  jeered 
at  the  Mexican  and  Spanish  governors.  There  are  many 
other  incidents  occasioned  by  the  incursions  of  the  Indians 
in  certain  localities,  which  should  be  related,  but,  as  we  are 
now  treating  about    real    hostilities,    we  shall   leave   those 


ILLUSTRATED    HlSTOliY    OB^    NEW    MEXICO.  509 

incidents  for  another  part  of  this  work,  and  shall  now  en- 
deavo4'  to  give  the  reader  the  necessary  information  regard- 
ing the  war  with  Spain. 

War  With  Spain — The  Rough  Riders. 
On  April  21st,  in  the  year  1898,  war  \Nas  declared  between 
our  government  and  the  government  of  Spain,  occasioned 
by  the  destruction  of  the  battleship  "Maine"  in  the  waters 
of  Havana.  That  war  closed  on  April  11th,  of  the  year  follow- 
ing, 1899,  with  the  defeat  of  Spain  and  the  loss  to  that  power 
of  Cuba,  Puerto  Rico,  and  the  Philippine  Islands.  In  that 
war,  too,  the  sons  of  New  Mexico  again  demonstrated  their 
disinterested  patriotism  to  the  American  flag— a  patriotism 
that  has,  perhaps,  no  parallel  in  the  annals  of  universal  his- 
tory, for  the  sons  of  New  Mexico,  the  Spanish-Americans, 
who  went  to  that  war  were  all  descendants  from  the  first 
Spaniards  who  conquered  New  Mexico,  and  it  was  but 
natural  to  expect  that  they  should,  at  least  cherish  in  their 
hearts,  the  natural  sympathy  inherent  in  persons  of  the 
same  race.  Despite  all  that,  they  did  not  hesitate  in  responding 
with  a  good  will  to  the  call  made  upon  them  to  take  up  arms 
in  defense  of  their  flag  by  sending  to  the  field  of  battle  more 
soldiers,  in  proportion  to  their  population,  than  any  other 
state  in  the  Union,  and  having  sent  from  among  them  the 
famous  mounted  company  known  as  "Roosevelt's  Rough 
Riders"  who  fought  with  distinction  in  the  battle  at  Santiago 
de  Cuba.  Let  us  now  treat  of  the  different  churches,  or  reli- 
gions that  have  co-operated  in  the  Christianization  of  New 
Mexico. 

Churches — First  Protestant  Minister — Bishop  Juan  B.  Lamy  and  His 
Successors. 
Up  to  the  year  184G,  the  only  church  which  existed  in  New 
Mexico,  from  the  time  of  the  conquest,  was  the  Catholic 
church.  In  fact  to  that  church  is  due  the  civilization  and 
Christianization  of  the  Indians  of  New  Mexico,  and  the  devel- 
opment effected  by  the  Spanish  colonies  in  the  Territory. 
The  reader  has  already  been  informed  concerning  the  great 
good  done  by  that  church  to  the  country  from  the  time  of  the 
discovery  and   conquest  of  New   Mexico.     Respecting  the 


510  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

benefits  bestowed  by  it  after  the  change  of  flags  took  place, 
the  reader  will  be  informed  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

With  the  change  of  flags,  religious  toleration  was  introduced 
into  New  Mexico,  a  thing  unknown  until  that  date.  Towards 
the  close  of  the  year  1849,  the  first  Protestant  minister,  Rev. 
Henrj  W.  Reed,  of  the  Baptist  creed,  entered  Santa  Fe. 
Until  that  year,  it  may  be  said,  the  Catholic  church  had  been 
subject,  ecclesiastically  speaking,  to  the  Episcopate  of  Duran- 
go.  In  the  year  following.  Pope  Pius  IX,  by  apostolic  decree, 
on  April  23rd,  appointed  asapostolic  vicarof  said  vicariate  with 
the  title  of  Bishop  of  Agathonica,  the  Rev.  Juan  B.  Lamy, 
who  was  at  the  time  a  priest  at  Cincinnati.  Vicar  Lamy 
'received  his  episcopal  consecration  at  Cincinnati  on  November 
24th  of  the  same  year,  and  early  the  next  year  he  started  for 
Santa  Fe  reaching  that  point  in  the  summer  of  the  year  1851. 
At  Santa  Fe  he  was  confronted  by  serious  obstacles  due  to 
the  refusal  of  the  Mexican  priests  to  recognize  his  authority 
before  being  informed  of  the  change  of  ecclesiastical  author- 
ity, by  the  bishop  of  Durango,  who  was  the  only  authority 
which,  to  that  date,  they  had  recognized.  The  anomalous 
situation  neither  surprised  nor  discouraged  Vicar  Lamy, 
who,  without  blaming  the  Mexican  priests,  and,  in  order  to 
do  away  with  the  difficulties,  undertook  a  trip  to  Durango  in 
order  to  present  his  credentials  to  the  Mexican  bishop,  hav- 
ing had  to  traverse  a  long,  toilsome  and  perilous  distance  on 
account  of  the  savage  Indians.  At  Durango  he  was  received 
by  the  Mexican  bishop  with  all  courtesy  and  attentions  due 
to  the  visiting  prelate.  He  received  credentials  from  the 
bishop  of  Durango  and  returned  to  New  Mexico  where  he 
immediately  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties,*  which 
he  faithfully  discharged  for  the  glory  of  the  church  and 
benefit  of  New  Mexico  until  the  year  1885,  his  age  no  longer 
allowing  him  to  bear  the  onerous  burden.  He  resigned  the  post 
and  retired  to  his  private  property  where  he  remained  until 
February  14,  1888,  when  he  died,  being  at  that  date  arch- 
bishop of  Santa  F6.  His  successors  were  the  Most  Illustrious 
Archbishops  J.  B.  Salpointe,  P.  Chapelle,  Peter  Bourgade, 
and  the  actual  Archbishop  Don  Juan  B.  Pitaval.  Of  the  many 

*  Salpointe:     "Soldiers  of  the  Cross." 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  511 

benefits  that  came  to  New  Mexico,  with  thechan«jeof  govern- 
ments, the  greatest  was  the  coming  of  Archbishop  Lamy,  for 
to  him,  and  to  him  alone,  belongs  the  honor  of  having  been 
the  best  friend  of  the  sons  of  New  Mexico.  In  another  part 
of  this  work  we  shall  speak  in  detail  concerning  that  holy 
man,  so  as  to  close  up  the  subject  which  we  have  been 
explaining  in  this  chapter. 

Archbishops   Salpointe,  Ghapelle,  Bourgade  and  PitavaL 

The  first  thing  Archbishop  Lamy  did  after  he  had  assumed 
the  charge  of  his  vicariate  was  to  make  an  extended  visit 
throughout  the  whole  Territory  with  the  object  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  precise  situation  of  all  the  curates  and 
missions  of  the  Territory,  re-organizing,  as  his  next  step,  the 
ecclesiastical  government  under  the  new  regime  and  placing 
the  vicariate  under  the  protecjtion  of  Saint  Francis  of  Assisi. 
In  1875,  Bishop  Lamy  was  consecrated  to  the  Archiepiscopal 
See  or  Archdiocese  of  Santa  F6,  with  jurisdiction  over  the 
whole  of  New  Mexico  excepting  the  counties  of  Dona  Ana, 
and  afterwards,  Grant  and  Eddy,  which,  despite  their  being 
within  the  limits  of  New  Mexico,  belong  to  the  Episcopate  of 
Arizona.  On  June  20th,  1869,  Bishop  J.  B.  Salpointe  was 
appointed  Bishop  of  Arizona,  and  on  the  22nd  of  April,  1884, 
as  coadjutor  of  Archbishop  Lamy.  He  succeeded  the  Most 
Illustrious  Archbishop  Lamy  after  the  death  of  the  latter, 
receiving  the  Archiepiscopal  consecration  on  July  18th,  1885, 
and  acting  as  Archbishop  until  January  7th,  1894,  when  he 
delivered  the  active  charge  to  his  coadjutor.  Bishop  P. 
Chapelle,  who  had  been  appointed  to  such  post  on  November 
1st,  1891.  Archbishop  Salpointe  died  July  15th,  1898,  and 
Chapelle  was  proclaimed  his  successor  on  January  7th,  1894, 
and  was  transferred  to  New  Orleans  on  December  1st,  1897, 
where  he  died  on  August  6th,  1905,  the  victim  of  yellow  fever, 
Don  Pedro  Bourgade,  Bishop  of  Arizona  succeeded  Arch- 
bishop Chapelle,  continuing  as  Archbishop  until  May  17th, 
1908,  which  was  the  date  of  his  death.  The  Most  Illustrious 
JuanB.  Pitaval,  Bourgade"s  successor  assumed  the  charge  of 
the  Archdiocesis.  He  had  acted  as  coadjutor  of  Bourgade 
from  July  25th,    1902,  was   promoted  to  the  Archiepiscopal 


512  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

See  on  January  3rd,  1909,  and  proclaimed  archbishop  on 
April  24th,  1909,  and  is  worthily  acting  in  that  capacity  at 
the  present  time. 

Catholic  Church's  Organization  at  This  Time. 
The  organization  of  the  Catholic  Church,  or  the  Archdiocese 
of  Santa  Fe,  in  the  Territory  is,  as  follows:  At  Santa  Fe, 
the  Capital,  resides  the  Most  Illustrious  Archbishop  Pitaval, 
and  in  charge  of  the  parish  is  the  Vicar  General,  Monsignor 
Antonio  Fourchegii,  having  under  his  charge  six  missions, 
the  Convent  of  Loretto  and  the  Indian  School  of  Saint  Cathe- 
rine. The  other  parish  of  Santa  Fe,  the  Capital,  is  Our  Lady 
of  Guadalupe  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  Antonio  Besset 
with  six  missions.  Saint  Michael's  College  under  the  charge 
of  the  chaplain,  Rev.  J.  L.  Doherty.  The  parishes  outside 
of  the  Capital,  all  of  which  have  several  missions,  are:  Albu- 
querque, Rev.  A.  M.  Mandalari,  S.  J.;  Old  Albuquerque, 
under  the  charge  of  Rev.  C.  M.  Capilupi,  S.  J.;  Antonchico, 
under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Catignol;  Belen,  under  the  charge 
of  Rev.  J.  A.  Picard;  Bernalillo,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  J. 
J.  Splinters;  Blanco,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Garnier: 
Bueyeros,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  C.  Lammert;  Chaperito, 
under  the  charge  of  Rev.  P.  Lantard;  Costilla,  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Cipriano  Barran;  El  Rito,  under  the  charge  of 
Father  Jos^Pajot;  Folsom,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Dum- 
arest;  Gallup,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Florentine  Myers, 
O.  F.  M.;  Isleta,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  A.  Docher;  Jemes, 
under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Barnabas  Myers,  O.  F.  M.;  Las 
Vegas,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Paul  Gilberton;  with  a 
private  oratory  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  under  the  charge  of 
Rev.  J.  Marra,  S.  J.  and  the  Revds.  A.  Leone,  S.  J.,  J. 
Artuis,  S.  J,,  and  P.  Dallas,  S.  J.;  East  Las  Vegas,  under 
the  charge  of  Rev.  Adriano  Rabeyrolle;  Lincoln,  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Girma;  Manzano,  under  the  charge  of 
Rev,  J.  Gauthier;  Monticello,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  U.  G. 
Bertrom;  Mora,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  C.  Baland;  Park 
View,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  E.  Paulham;  Peiia  Blanca, 
under  the  charge  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers  with  Rev. 
Francis  Stuerenber,  O.  F.  M.,  as  superior;  Peftasco,  under 
the  charge  of  Rev.  Leo  De  La  Velie;  Puerto  de  Luna,  under 


ILLUSTUATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  513 

the  charge  of  Rev.  J.  Pugens;  Raton,  under  the  charge 
of  Rev.  J.  B.  W.  Cooney;  Roswell,  under  the  charge  of  Rev. 
Adalberto  Rolfes,  O.  P  M.;  with  a  Chapelle  for  Mexican 
Parishioners  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Teodoro,  O.  F.  M.; 
San  Antonio,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  G.  Charrie;  San  Juan 
de  Los  Caballeros,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Camilo  Seux; 
San  Marcial,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  J.  Peltzer;  San 
Miguel,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  J.  P.  Moog;  Santa  Cruz, 
under  the  charge  of  Rev.  G.  Haelterman;  Sapello,  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Krager;  Socorro,  under  the  charge  of  Rev. 
P.  H.  Martin;  Springer,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Antonio 
Celher;  Taos,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Jose  Giraud;  Tom^, 
under  the  charge  of  Rev.  J.  B.  RaUiere,  (the  oldest  priest  in 
New  Mexico;)  Watrous,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Oilier. 

Catholic  Institutions  of  Learning. 

The  Catholic  church  in  New  Mexico  has  the  following  seats 
or  institutions  of  learning:  At  Santa  Fe,  the  College  of  the 
Christian  Brothers,  under  the  charge  of  Brother  Edwards, 
Academy  of  Our  Lady  of  Light,  under  the  charge  of  the 
Sisters  of  Loretto,  the  Industrial  School  of  St.  Catherine  for 
boys  and  girls,  under  the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Most 
Holy  Sacrament.  It  has  similar  institutions  at  Bernalillo, 
Las  Vegas,  Albuquerque,  Jemes,  Mora,  Pena  Blanca,  Ros- 
well, Socorro  and  Taos.  In  East  Las  Vegas  it  has  the  "Saint 
Anthony's  Sanatorium,"  under  the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of 
Charity. 

,  Protestant  Churches. 

The  Methodist  Episcopalian  church,  also  established  its 
worship  at  Santa  Fe  towards  the  close  of  the  year  1351  send- 
ing as  its  minister  Rev.  E.  G.  Nicholson,  who  had  to  abandon 
the  charge  before  the  expiration  of  two  years  for  want  of 
members.  The  Presbyterians  opened  a  church  in  Santa  F6 
in  the  same  year,  1851,  sending  Rev.  W.  J.  Kephardt,  who 
also,  through  unknown  causes,  abandoned  the  ministry  and 
undertook  the  publication  of  a  newspaper,  the  "Santa  F6 
Gazette."'  From  this  date  on  Protestant  churches  have  been 
established  in  the  Capital  and  other  parts  of  the  Territory, 
with  several  mission  houses  and  schools,  there  being  in  the 


514  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Capital  at  the  present  time  the  following  churches:  One 
Presbyterian,  one  Methodist,  one  Episcopalian,  or  of  "The 
Holy  Faith,"  this  last  one  having  been  established  on"  July  4, 
1873,  by  Rev.  A.  H.  De  Mora,  but  was  without  any  place  of 
worship  until  the  year  1879,  when  Governor  L.  Bradford 
Prince  initiated  a  movement  for  the  construction  of  a  church, 
with  such  success,  that  by  the  year  1882,  the  present  hand- 
some building  whi(jh  said  church  has  in  Santa  Fe  today  had 
already  been  erected.  It  is  built  of  chiseled  rock,  in  the 
Gothic  style,  and  at  a  cost  of  not  less  than  §8,000  or  $10,000. 
Thus  the  Capital  has  seven  churches  and  a  beautiful  cartie- 
dral,  that  is,  the  cathedral  which  is  the  principal  Catholic 
church,  built  at  a  cost  of  over  $150,000,  and  is  the  tinest  build- 
ing of  its  class  west  of  the  State  of  Missouri:  the  ancient 
church  of  Guadalupe,  also  Catholic;  that  of  San  Miguel,  con- 
structed by  OBate  in  1606,  and  used  to  this  day  for  divine 
worship  by  the  Brothers  of  Saint  Michael's  College;  the 
chapel  of  the  Sisters  of  Loretto,  a  most  beautiful  edifice, 
made  of  rock,  in  the  Gothic  style,  and  at  a  cost  of  $75,000; 
and,  in  addition,  two  other  chapels  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity, 
and  that  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Catherine,  also  very  elegant, 
and  of  a  very  high  cost.  We  shall  now  turn  our  attention  to 
the  Indians  of  New  Mexico. 

Indians. 
With  the  information  which  the  reader  has  concerning  the 
different  kinds  of  Indians  which  have  inhabited  New  Mexico, 
we  shall  not  treat  this  matter  in  detail  again,  but  shall  con- 
fine ourselves  to  giving  a  succinct  description  of  them  since 
they  were  subdued  by  the  Spaniards.  The  Pueblo  Indians 
are  now  practically,  in  the  same  condition  they  were  when 
found  by  the  Spaniards  at  the  epoch  of  the  discovery  and 
conquest,  viz:  Taos,  Jemes,  Santa  Clara,  Picuris,  San 
Ildefonso,  San  Juan,  Pojoaque,  Namb^,  Tesuque,  Cochiti, 
Zia,  Santo  Domingo,  San  Felipe,  Sandia,  Isleta,  Zuni,  Acoma, 
but  quite  a  number  of  the  original  pueblos  are  not  in  exis- 
tence today  as  the  reader  is  already  aware  of  the  missing 
pueblos  being,  of  Pecos,  Tanos,  and  Santa  Aua  and  others. 
Said  Pueblo  Indians,  so  far  as  relates  to  civilization,  and 
despite  the  efforts  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers  during  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  515 

governments  of  Spain  and  Mexico,  which  efforts  were  con- 
tinued witti  the  same,  if  not  greater  earnestness  by  the  Most 
Illustrious  Archbishop  Lamy  and  his  successors,  and  by  the 
American  government  expending  large  sums  of  money  in 
efforts  to  civilize  them,  are  actually  almost  in  their  primitive 
condition  owing  to  the  fact  that  they  do  not  want  to  abandon 
their  diabolical  customs.  Don  Pedro  Bautista  Pino,  in  the 
exposition  which  he  made  to  the  Spanish  congress  in  1812,  at 
Cddiz,  complained  that  the  said  Indians,  after  having  been  for 
more  than  200  years  indoctrinated  and  taught  in  the  arts  and 
industries  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers,  did  not  improve  nor 
wished  to  abandon  their  customs,  and,  now,  or  90  years  after 
Pino  made  his  said  exposition,  they  are  in  the  same  if  not 
worse,  condition.  As  the  picture  of  them  then  drawn  by 
Pino  is  the  same  that  might  be  drawn  now,  the  author  repro- 
duces Pino"s  words: 

Pino  on  the  Indians  of  New  Mexico. 

"All  these  pueblos,  despite  the  sway  which  religion 
has  exercised  over  them,  cannot  forget  a  portion  of 
dogmas  transmitted  to  them  by  tradition,  and  they  take 
scrupulous  care  to  teach  them  to  their  descendants; 
hence  their  worships  of  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  other 
celestial  bodies,  the  respect  they  have  for  fire,  etc.,  etc,  * 

Let  us  now  hear  the  account  given  of  them  by  a  priest  of 
our  times  who  lived  among  them  at  the  pueblo  of  Jemez 
indoctrinating  them  for  over  twelve  years.  Rev.  Father 
Mariller,  quoted  by  Archbishop  Salpointe  in  his  work  "Sol- 
diers of  the  Cross,*'  page  19,  says: 

"My  opinion  is  that  these  Indians,  despite  their  being 
ostensibly  Catholics,  secretly  practice  every  sort  of 
superstitious  and  ancient  ceremonies.  If  they  worship 
more  than  one  Deity,  I  do  not  know,  but  I  am,  indeed 
certain  that  for  them  Moctezuraa,  possesses  divine 
powers,  for  some  of  them  liave  told  me  that  what  we  call 
God  is  no  other  than  Moctezuma,  the  name  being  the 
only  difference.  They  worship  the  sun  but  I  could  never 
ascertain  whether  or  not  they  considered  itas  a  divinity." 

*  Pino,  "Not.  Historicas."' 


516  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Actually,  and  for  over  twenty  years  past  the  government 
has  treated  these  Indians,  and  the  savage  tribes,  paternally, 
establishing  schools  and  shops  in  their  pueblos  and  reserva- 
tions, in  order  to  educate  them  and  to  teach  them  a  trade 
v^ith  the  object  of  civilizing  them  to  the  degree  that  they  may 
be  enabled  to  assume  the  responsibilities  of  free  citizenship; 
but  without  any  other  success  than  what  was  obtained  by 
the  Franciscans  after  more  than  200  years  of  continuous 
vigils  and  sacrifices.  The  Indians  of  the  savage  tribes  who 
still  live  in  New  Mexico,  under  reservation,  and  under  the 
protection  of  the  government,  are  the  Apaches,  the  Yutas, 
and  the  Navajoes.  All  these  tribes  are  engaged  in  stock: 
raising  and  in  the  cultivation  of  their  lands,  performing  the 
latter  task  with  reluctance  and  on  a  very  limited  scale.  With 
this  review  we  close  the  subject  about  the  Indians,  and  we 
should  here  discuss  the  industrial  branch  of  our  history  but 
shall  leave  that  subject  for  the  chapter  corresponding  to 
commerce  and  economical  conditions. 

Mineral  Branch. 

The  mineral  branch  did  not  receive  any  impetuous  worthy 
of  mention  during  the  27  years  regime  of  the  Mexican  gov- 
ernment over  New  Mexico,  and  as  the  Spaniards  had,  many 
years  before  that  date,  practically  abandoned  the  industrj'- 
because  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to  work  the  mines  and 
fight  the  Indians  at  the  same  time,  the  mineral  branch 
remained  at  a  stand  still  until  after  the  annexation.  It  is  not 
known  how  many  years  before  Pino  went  as  delegate  to 
Spain,  that  the  mines  had  been  neglected,  but  certainly  it 
must  have  been  for  a  long  time,  for  Pino  in  alluding  to  the 
abandonment,  says  in  his  exposition  to  the  Spanish  Congress: 

"In  this  province  mines  have  been  found  closed,  some 
of  them  with  work  tools  inside;  but  it  is  not  known  at 
what  time  they  were  discovered  and  worked.  There  are 
many  mineral  veins  in  the  mountains  of  gold  and  silver, 
as  well  as  of  copper,  iron,  and  lead,  etc.  Some  assays 
have  been  made  of  all  these  metals,  and  it  is  said  that 
silver  does  not  yield  well  except  by  treatment  with 
mercury,  for  by  tire  it  all  evaporates.      If    the  prov- 


ILLUSTRATE)    HI8TOKY    OF    NKW    MEXICO,  T)!? 

ince  should  be  moderately  protected,  all  those  mines 
would  again  be  worked  and  the  public  treasury  would 
perhaps  receive  many  thousands  of  its  fifths  which  it 
does  not  get  today  because  the  mines  are  neglected.  * 

Goal  Mines. 

From  the  year  in  which  the  Navajoe  tribe  was  subdued, 
concerning  which  event  the  reader  has  already  been  informed, 
the  mineral  industry  came  into  full  development;  although 
coal  mines  had  been  worked  since  the  year  1863,  in  the 
County  of  Socorro,  but  the  real  development  did  not  start 
until  the  year  1896,  in  that  year  the  second  coal  mine  at 
Madrid,  County  of  Santa  Fe,  having  been  discovered.  This 
was  followed  by  the  discovery  of  other  very  rich  coal  mines, 
at  Hagan,  Raton,  Dawson,  Gallup,  Maxwell  City  and  other 
points  of  the  Territory.  The  federal  inspector  in  his  report 
to  the  government  in  the  year  1904:,  states  that  the  coal  lying 
in  the  mines  of  New  Mexico  can  be  reckoned  at  9,000,000,000 
tons,  the  Counties  of  Colfax,  McKinley  and  Santa  Fe,  being 
the  principal,  or  richest  counties  in  that  class  of  mineral. 

Copper,  Gold  and  Silver — Humboldt  in  New  Mexico. 

Baron  A.  de  Humboldt  early  in  the  nineteenth  century,  on 
his  return  to  Germany  from  South  America  and  Mexico, 
stopped  at  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  where  he  stayed  for  three 
months  examining  its  mountains,  and,  after  he  had  returned 
to  his  native  land,  wrote  his  celebrated  work,  "Political  Essay 
on  New  Spain,'' in  three  volumes  in  which  bespeaks  very 
extensively  of  the  wealth  of  the  republics  to  the  south  of  us, 
Mexico,  Central  and  South  America,  and,  after  saying  that 
in  the  mountains  of  those  republics  fabulous  riches  exist, 
affirms  that  in  the  mountains  of  New  Mexico  "are  hidden 
the  riches  of  the  w^orld,'"  f  and,  according  to  official  statistics, 
Humboldt  did  not  make  a  mistake  in  what  he  said,  for  almost 
all  the  known  minerals,  have  been  discovered  in  New  Mexico; 
copper  in  the  Counties  of  Grant,  Santa  Fe,  Dofia  Ana,  Rio 

*  Pino:  "Not.  Hist."  p.   (55.     Pino  did  not  know  of  Chamuscado 
luiving-  discovered  mines  near  Socorro  in  1581  (ante)— The  AnTHOR. 
t  Humboldt:     "Ensavo  Politico."  Vol.  3. 


518  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Arriba,  San  Miguel,  Otero,  Luna,  Valencia,  Socorro,  Colfax, 
Sandoval,  Union,  Taos  and  Mora.  This  metal,  to  the  year 
1897,  had  produced  700,000  pounds,  and  from  that  year  to 
the  year  1912,  the  copper  mines  have  produced  75,000,000 
pounds.  Gold  is  found  in  nearly  all  the  counties  of  the  State, 
but  the  richest  in  that  metal  are  those  of  Taos,  Colfax  and 
Santa  P6.  The  total  output  of  this  metal  has  reached  $1,000,000 
a  year.  Silver,  also,  is  found  in  all  the  counties  of  the  State, 
specially  in  the  Counties  of  Sierra  and  Grant:  this  metal, 
however,  owing  to  its  depreciation  in  our  republic,  is  not  now 
very  extensively  mined,  yet,  there  has  been  taken  out  from 
the  silver  mines  of  New  Mexico  during  the  last  fifteen  years 
about  $6,000,000.  The  other  minerals,  zinc,  lead,  iron  and 
mica  also  abound  in  New  Mexico,  but  have  not  been  developed 
as  much  as  those  we  have  already  mentioned.  The  zinc 
mineral  according  to  the  statistics  alluded  to,  produces 
$900,000  a  year.  The  lead  mines  have  produced,  on  an 
average,  as  much  as  12,000  tons  a  year.  This  mineral  has 
been  discovered  only  in  the  Counties  of  Santa  F6,  Socorro, 
Doiia  Ana,  Grant,  San  Miguel  and  Luna. 

Iron,  though  it  is  known  to  exist  in  all  the  counties  of  the 
Territory,  it  has  been  worked  less  than  the  other  minerals, 
there  being  only  one  mine  under  development  in  the 
county  of  Grant  which  is  said  to  have  yielded  as  much  as 
100,000  tons  in  a  year.  Mica,  which  is  not  very  plentiful  in 
other  parts  of  the  Union  is  found  in  large  deposits  in  New 
Mexico,  the  principal  of  them  being  near  Petaca.  in  the 
county  of  Rio  Arriba.  There  is  also  plenty  of  that  metal  in 
the  county  of  Santa  Fe,  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital  having 
used  it  for  many  years  before  the  change  of  governments,  as 
Pike  tells  us  in  his  account  when  he  w-as  brought  to  Santa 
Fe  as  a  prisoner  by  order  of  Governor  Alencaster  (ante)  in 
1806.  Speaking  on  that  subject  Pike  says  that  he  observed 
that  mica  (talco)  was  used  instead  of  glass  in  windows. 

Missions   and  Missionaries—  Jesuits — Fathers  Kino  and  Salvalierra  and 
Their  Successors — Missions  in  California,  Sonora,  Arizona,  etc. 

In  the  foregoing  chapters  we  have  given  a  detailed  account 
of  the  apostolic  labors  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers  prior  to  and 
from  the  time  of  the  conquest  to  the  time  when  the  authority 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


)19 


of  the  Spanish  government  ceased  in  Mexico,  in  1821,  inci- 
dentally mentioning  the  coming  of  some  Jesuit  Fathers  into 
New  Mexico;  but  we  did  not  mention  one  of  the  greatest 
apostles  of  those  times,  Father  Eusebio  Kino  who,  early  in 
the  year  1700,   preached   the  gospel  in  the  extreme  west  of 


His  Grace,  the  late  Misliop    Mai-1 
Mexk-o   in  IfCjl  ai: 


nif,  of  D.'iivtT,  Colorado.     First  Vicar  of  New 
I  ft  cr  wards  Bisiiop  of  Coloriido. 


New  Mexico,  or  in  what  forms  today  the  Territory  of  Arizona. 
Father  Kino  is  worthy  of  special  mention  for  having  by  him- 
self alone,  performed  as  wonderful  deeds  as  those  recorded 
to  the  credit  of  the  Franciscans  of  that  epoch — for  that 
reason  we  will  here  give  the  history  of  the  labors  of  this  holy 

man.  * 

*  Archives  of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 


520  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Father  Eusebio  Kino  was  a  native  of  Trent,  the  .Capital  of 
South  Tirol,  a  province  of  Austria.  His  veneration  for  the 
great  apostle  of  the  Indies  made  him  take  the  name  of 
Francis.  He  owed  him  his  life,  and  the  constant  remem- 
brance of  his  name  inspired  him  with  the  same  zeal  and 
fervor  for  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  in  the  far  off  mis- 
sions of  India.  Filled  with  that  intention  he  refused  the 
honor  conferred  on  him  by  the  Duke  of  Baviera,  as  professor 
of  mathematics  in  the  University  of  Ingolstadt.  Being 
received  in  the  Society  of  Jesus  he  asked  and  obtained  leave 
to  be  sent  to  the  Indian  missions  of  America.  His  first 
mission  was  in  Cahfornia.  By  order  of  his  provincial,  Fr. 
Bernardo  Parto,  he  went  with  Fr.  Matias  Cogni  in  the  expe- 
dition organized  by  Admiral  Don  Bernardo  de  Piiiadero  to 
the  conquest  and  colonization  of  that  country.  The  expedi- 
tion sailed  under  the  command  of  Don  Isidoro  de  Atondo  y 
Antill6n  on  the  17th  of  January,  1663,  from  the  harbor  of 
Chacala  and  laid  anchor  on  the  Bay  of  La  Luz  at  the  end  of 
tv^o  weeks  journey.  The  Spaniards  did  not  remain  there 
long,  but  sailed  for  60  miles  on  the  gulf,  to  which  they  gave 
the  name  of  San  Bruno,  on  account  of  the  da}^  on  which  it 
was  tirst  occupied.  The  Indians  of  this  neighborhood  were 
different  in  idiom  and  manners.  They  manifested  great 
interest  in  learning  something  from  the  strangers.  Father 
Kino  promised  himself  great  success  in  evangelizing  the 
natives  but  the  settlement  was  abandoned  because  of  the 
aridity  of  the  place. 

On  returning  to  Mexico,  Father  Kino  petitioned  his  pro- 
vincial to  send  him  again  to  California  to  complete  the  task 
of  conversion  already  commenced.  His  petition  was  denied, 
and  he  was  ordered  to  the  perilous  missions  of  Sonora  and 
Pimeria.  On  November  20th,  1686,  he  left  Mexico,  going 
first  to  Guadalajara  to  obtain  a  decree  from  the  "Real 
Audiencia"  to  the  effect  that  no  converted  Indian  should  be 
employed  in  the  mines  during  the  tirst  five  years  after  his 
conversion.  Arrived  at  Sonora,  he  proceeded  to  form  his 
missions.  He  founded  the  missions  of  Dolores,  San  ignacio, 
San  Jos(5  and  "Nuestra  Seiiora  de  los  Kemedios."  Here  he 
met  Father  Jos6  Maria  Salvatierra.  The  two  great  mission- 
aries determined  that  one  should  open  anew  the  missions  of 


ILLUSTKATKD   HISTOKY   OF    NEW    MEXICO,  521 

California,  while  the  other  should  facilitate  the  work  by 
keeping  the  communication  open  with  that  deserted  land. 
The  means  of  doing  this  would  be  by  the  construction  of  a 
vessel  to  take  provisions  from  Pimeria  to  California.  The 
constructor  would  be  Father  Kino.  It  was  only  at  the  close 
of  two  years  that  Father  Kino  was  able  to  commence  the 
work.  He  had  been  so  busy  in  his  missionary  voyages  to 
the  different  tribes,  among  the  Pimas  of  southern  Arizona, 
that  he  could  not  begin  the  work  until  the  21st  of  March, 
1694.  After  celebrating  mass  on  that  day,  he  began  with  the 
aid  of  Captain  Juan  Mateo  Mange  and  twenty  native  carpen- 
ters to  cut  down  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  Caberca.  He  would 
have  finished  the  work,  had  not  the  provincial  intervened. 
The  good  missionary  obeyed,  and  availed  himself  of  the  inter- 
ruption to  make  a  trip  to  the  Gila  river,  about  which  he  heard 
some  converted  Indians,  of  San  Javier  del  Bac,  speak.  He 
said  mass  in  one  of  the  great  buildings  (Casas  Grandes) 
which  he  saw  there.  He  made  in  1697  a  new^  effort,  this  time 
accompanied  by  Captain  Cristoval  Martin  de  Bernal.  In 
1699,  in  the  company  of  Father  Gilg  and  Captain  Juan  Mateo 
de  Mange,  Father  Kmo  penetrated  beyond  the  confluence  of 
the  Colorado  and  Gila  rivers.  With  the  aid  of  an  interpreter 
he  preached  at  Yuma,  Opas,  Coromaricopas,  and  other 
points.  He  would  have  remained  longer  with  these  savages, 
had  it  not  been  for  a  heavy  indisposition  which  obliged  him 
to  return  to  his  mission  of  Dolores.  At  the  close  of  the  same 
year,  he  undertook  the  apostolic  journey  to  the  same  tribes, 
accompanied  b}^  two  priests  sent  by  the  Visitor  General  to 
examine  the  state  of  the  mission  of  Arizona.  In  1700  he 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  great  church  named  after  the 
apostle  of  the  Indies,  Saint  Xavier  del  Bac.  He  subsequently 
made  another  excursion  into  the  Gila  river.  Thence  he  went 
to  the  Santa  Clara  Mound,  from  which  he  made  his  observa- 
tions of  the  altitude  of  the  Gila  river  and  of  its  junction  with 
the  Colorado.  He  also  discovered  that  California  was  a 
peninsula.  In  one  of  his  voyages  he  discovered  the  Island 
of  Tiburon.  In  1701  he  made  two  expeditions  to  the  Colorado 
river.  Having  returned  to  his  mission  of  Dolores,  he  made 
preparations  for  another  extensive  exploration  of  Arizona, 
and  on  February  5th  of  1702,  accompanied  by  Father  Manuel 


522  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Gonzales,  a  missionary  of  Oposura,  he  started  for  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Colorado  and  Gila  rivers.  They  visited  the 
tribes  of  Quilhuimas  and  preached  to  them  the  holy  truth  of 
Christianity.  The  result  of  this  expedition  was  that  the  two 
principal  tribes  of  Arizona,  the  Quilhuimas  and  the  Yumas, 
sent  messages  to  Father  Antonio  Leal,  superior  of  the  mis- 
sions in  Northern  Mexico,  requesting  him  to  send  them 
resident  missionaries,  tn  1706,  Father  Kino,  with  Father 
Manuel  de  Ojeda,  a  Franciscan,  visited  once  more  the  mis- 
sions of  Arizona  (then  in  New  Mexico).  The  Franciscan  had 
an  opportunity  of  admiring  the  zeal  of  Father  Kino  and  of 
observing  the  remarkable  fruits  of  his  labors.  He  saw  by 
himself  that  Father  Kino,  alone  and  without  any  aid,  and 
abandoned,  so  to  say,  to  his  own  resources,  did  more  in  a  few 
years  than  did  the  missionaries  that  came  subsequently  in 
fifty  or  more  years.  He  baptized  with  his  own  hand  more 
than  50,000  savages  of  different  tribes  in  Arizona.  He  died 
at  the  beginning  of  1711.  His  companion.  Father  Campo, 
having  finished  a  chapel  in  the  village  of  Santa  Maria  Magda- 
lena,  in  honor  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  invited  his  superior  to 
the  dedication  of  it.  Father  Kino  went,  and  while  he  was 
singing  mass,  was  attacked  by  pains  and  died. 

The  successors  of  Father  Kino  came  again  into  New  Mex- 
ico in  the  year  1867,  that  being  the  first  year  that  they  gave 
missions  in  New  Mexico  under  the  ecclesiastical  administra- 
tion of  Archbishop  J.  B.  Lamy,  who  was  at  that  time  in 
Baltimore  in  attendance  to  the  second  plenary  council.  At 
the  close  of  the  sessions  of  said  council.  Archbishop  Lamy 
departed  for  Rome  with  the  object  of  bringing  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries to  New  Mexico.  At  Rome,  after  daily  endeavors,  he 
succeeded  at  last  in  obtaining  from  the  Rev.  Beckx,  prefect 
general  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  three  missionary  priests,  who 
were  the  never  forgotten  Fathers,  Livio  Vigilante,  Rafael 
Bianchi  and  Donato  M.  Gasparri,  with  two  lay  brothers  of 
the  same  order  called  Frisco  Caso  and  Rafael  Vezza.  Said 
fathers,  after  their  arrival  at  New  Mexico  gave  several  very 
fruitful  missions  and  established  themselves  permanently  at 
Las  Vegas,  where  they  founded  a  college  (concerning  which 
we  shall  speak  in  another  part  of  this  work)  and  La  Revista 
Cat61iea,  a  weekly  religious  review,  the  number  of  mission- 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  523 

aries  afterwards  increasing  and  settling  in  Colorado,  and 
other  places,  where  they  were  entrusted  with  the  spiritual 
administration  of  important  curates. 

The  Jesuits  —  Mission  of  New   Mexico.''' 

The  mission  of  New  Mexico  was  founded  in  the  year  1867, 
and  at  present  it  numbers  fifty-nine  fathers,  nine  scholastic 
and  twenty-six  lay  brothers. 

Its  origin  is  due  to  Most  Reverend  Archbishop  Lamy,  who 
on  a  visit  to  Rome,  personally  requested  Very  Rev.  Father 
Beckx,  general  of  the  society,  to  establish  a  mission  in  his 
archdiocese.  The  request  was  granted  without  delay,  and 
Neopolitan  Province  was  ordered  to  send  the  tirst  founders. 
Those  selected  were  Father  Livio  Vigilante,  Father  Donato 
M.  Gasparri,  Father  Raphael  Bianchi,  Bro.  Prisco  Caso  and 
Bro.  Raphael  Vezza.  They  all  joined  His  Grace  on  his  return 
home  and  arrived  with  him  in  Santa  F6,  August  15,  1867. 
Thence  they  proceeded  to  Bernalillo,  where  they  adminis- 
tered the  parish,  till  they  were  transferred  to  Old  Albuquer- 
que on  the  21st  of  April,  1868.  Thus  Old  Albuquerque 
became  the  tirst  and  later  the  Mother  House  of  the  whole 
mission. 

The  present  tield  of  labor  assigned  to  the  Fathers  extends 
to  the  whole  ecclesiastical  Province  of  Santa  Fe,  which 
includes  the  suffragan  dioceses  of  Denver  and  Tucson.  The 
thriving  City  of  Juarez,  Mexico,  being  a  recent  addition. 

The  Catholic  population  of  the  Province  of  Santa  F^,  with 
the  present  parish  of  Ei  Paso,  is  estimated  to  be  about  263,  985 
souls,  whilst  the  area  is  not  less  than  340,011  square  miles. 

The  Mission  has  been  governed  by  five  Superiors,  depend- 
ant on  the  Provincial  of  Naples,  Father  Livio  Vigilante, 
(August  15,  1867,  to  September  2,  1869),  Father  Donato  M. 
Gasparri,  (September  2,  1869,  to  June  23,  1876),  Father 
Raphael  Baldassarre,  (June  23,  1876,  to  September  12,  1880), 

*  Note.— This  historical  narration  of  the  Jesuits'  missionary 
labors  in  New  Mexico,  under  the  American  government,  is  based  upon 
the  olficial  documents  of  their  Society,  access  to  which  was  had  through 
the  kindness  and  with  the  assistance  of  Fathers  A.  M.  Mandalari,  S. 
.J.,  T.  Tommasini  and  other  fathers  of  the  Society;  to  all  of  whom  I 
am  g-ratefulJy  indebted  for  this  valuable  information.— The  Author. 


524  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Father  Aloysius  M.  Gentile,  (September  12,  1880,  t6  January 
1,  1887),  Father  Joseph  M.  Marra,  (January  1, 1887,  to  October 
24,  1898),  Father  Charles  M.  Pinto,  (October  24.  1898)  and 
Rev.  F.  Joseph  Marra,  (February  20,  1909). 

Father  Vigilante's  term  of  office  lasted  but  a  short  time. 
He  soon  returned  to  the  then  Maryland  Province,  from  which 
he  had  come  to  the  mission.  He  died  at  Frederick,  Md., 
July  8,  1895. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Father  Donato  M.  Gasparri,  who  was 
destined  by  Divine  Providence  to  give  the  new-born  mission 
stabihty,  influence  and  development.  His  extraordinary 
abilities  fully  equipped  him  for  liis  arduous  task.  When 
still  a  young  Jesuit  in  the  City  of  Naples,  he  gave  a  public 
specimen  on  the  lives,  Pontiticates  and  principal  events  of  all 
the  Popes,  from  Saint  Peter  to  Pious  IX,  with  a  brilliant 
success. 

The  following  incident  will  certainly  prove  his  strong  per- 
sonality. While  he  was  giving  a  mission  in  the  city  of  Santa 
Fe  in  the  year  1881,  the  Vicar  General  was  informed  by  the 
sudden  arrival  of  a  letter  from  a  distant  country,  that  a 
divorced  man  had  so  far  deceived  him  and  a  young  woman  as 
to  marry  her  with  all  the  rites  of  the  church.  The  wedding 
had  taken  place  in  the  afternoon.  Immediately  after  the 
ceremony  the  Vicar  General  and  the  sheriff  were  at  a  loss  as 
to  the  best  way  of  preventing  a  young  woman's  ruin,  when  it 
occurred  to  them  that  the  whole  matter  might  be  referred 
to  Father  Gasparri.  He  took  it  in  hand  asking  only  for  full 
power  to  act  as  effectively  and  quickly  as  he  could.  He 
accordingly,  with  a  deputy's  star  on  his  breast,  and  followed 
by  two  policemen,  went  to  the  bride's  house,  when  the 
wedding  festivities  were  highest  and  loudest.  The  bride- 
groom was  called  to  one  side  and  ordered  by  the  Father  to 
choose  at  once  between  the  penitentiary,  which  he  deserved 
as  a  mean  bigamist  and  a  sudden  flight  from  the  city  that 
very  moment.  Needless  to  add  that  the  Father's  order  was 
obeyed.  Father  Gasparri  died  at  Albuquerque,  New  Mex- 
ico, December  18,  1882. 

Father  R.  Baldassarre  was  the  third  superior.  His  infirm 
constitution  compelled  him  to  return  to  Naples,  at  the  expi- 
ration of  his  term  of  office.     He  died  there  March  9,  1886. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  52i> 

Father  A.  M.  Gentile  was  appointed  fourth  superior.  As 
he  had  made  almost  all  his  studies  in  Spain,  he  had  the  best 
opportunities  for  learning  the  Spanish  language,  so  necessary 
in  New  Mexico.  Hence  he  spoke  it  as  a  Spaniard  and 
mastered  it  as  a  scholar.  He  was  a  religious  in  the  strictest 
sense  of  the  word,  untiring  in  procuring  the  greater  glory 
of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  discomforts  of  a 
missionary  life  were  never  known  to  interfere  with  his  pious 
practices  and  spiritual  exercises.  He  held  the  most  respon- 
sible positions  the  mission  could  offer.  He  was  missionary, 
master  of  novices,  editor,  and  local  superior  different  times. 
He  died  at  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico,  September  29,  1907, 
from  nervous  prostration  contracted  while  giving  missions 
in  the  malaria  valleys  in  Sinaloa,  Mexico. 

Father  J.  M.  Marra  succeeded  Father  Gentile.  Father 
Marra  is  a  scholar  of  exquisite  taste,  a  thoughtful  and  for- 
ceful writer  and  a  through  theologian.  Much  could  be  said 
about  him  and  his  successor  Father  C.  M.  Pinto,  who  at 
present  is  superior  of  El  Paso,  Texas,  where  he  has  accom- 
plished a  great  deal  for  the  glory  of  God,  creating  there 
five  churches,  and  four  parochial  schools.  But  we  must 
respect  their  modesty.  When  Father  Marra's  second  term 
of  office  expired,  the  General  of  the  Society  raised  him  to  the 
government  of  the  Neopolitan  Province.  Father  Marra  was 
for  years  the  editor-in-chief  of  the  Revista  Catolica,  prefect 
of  studies  of  the  Las  Vegas  College,  and  president  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  College,  Denver,  Colo.  He  is  now  again  superior 
of  all  Jesuit  Fathers  in  New  Mexico,  Colorado,  Texas,  and 
missions,  with  his  headquarters  at  Las  Vegas,  N.  M. 

From  their  tirst  arrival  in  New  Mexico,  the  Fathers  felt 
that  Almighty  God  brought  them  here  for  a  great  purpose. 
They  were  to  help  the  clergy  firstly  in  defending  and  main- 
taining the  Catholic  faith  of  the  Mexican  people  and  secondly 
in  opposing  Protestant  fanaticism  and  bigotry,  which,  aboard 
a  railroad  sytem  already  in  construction  was  fast  coming  to 
this  land  of  primitive  religious  simplicity.  They  accordingly 
adopted  a  military  like  plan,  defensive  and  offensive,  decided 
to  start  a  weekly  newspaper,  to  refute  errors  and  calumnies; 
a  college  to  educate  the  rising  generation,  and  a  series  of 
missions  to  instruct  and  warn  the  mass  of  the  people. 


526  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

The  most  consoling  results  ci'owned  the  Fathers  toils, 
proving  at  the  same  time  that  neither  their  forebodings  were 
unfounded,  nor  the  efficacy  of  their  measures  overrated. 
This  plan  of  campaign  in  behalf  of  home  and  church,  small 
though  it  may  seem  in  Territory  and  population,  absorbed 
the  hearts  of  the  first  Fathers,  and  forms  nov^  the  greatest 
glory  of  the  mission  and  in  the  course  of  time  will  not  be 
deemed  unworthy  of  a  place  in  the  pages  of  history. 

The  Revista  Gatolica. 

The  Revista  Catolica  is  a  Spanish  weekly,  religious  news- 
paper. It  was  first  issued  by  Father  Gasparri  in  Old  Albu- 
querque in  1875.  It  is  now  published  in  Las  Vegas.  Till 
the  time  of  its  first  appearance  New  Mexico  was  Cathohc  in 
its  entirety.  But  just  then  the  A.  T.  &  S.  F.  system  was  first 
building  its  railroad  toward  New  Mexico  to  bring  civilization 
and  communication  with  the  East.  Unfortunately  these 
advantages  were  to  be  accompanied  by  Protestant  bigotr3^  as 
the  recent  events  which  occurred  in  the  Philippine  Islands 
fully  demonstrate.  It  was  not  difficult  to  foresee  that  the 
boon  of  civilization,  if  desirable  in  many  respects,  would  cause 
a  religious  strife  in  New  Mexico. 

The  Revista  Catolica  enters  the  arena  in  defense  of  Old 
Mother  Church.  It  fought  rigorously  unmasking  all  errors 
and  solving  all  difficulties  against  religion.  If  the  people 
have  not  been  robbed  of  their  faith  it  is  chiefly  the  influence 
of  this  weekly.  Its  reputation  as  an  ably  edited  newspaper, 
is  to  be  largely  attributed  to  the  skill  and  untiring  efforts  of 
Father  J.  M.  Marra  and  Father  A.  M.  Rossi.  It  has  now 
4550  subscribers.  After  thirty-four  years  of  struggle  with 
Protestant  ministers,  it  is  now  as  strenuous  in  the  defense  of 
the  church  as  it  was  in  the  very  beginning  of  its  life. 

The  Goliege. 

The  opening  of  a  Catholic  college  for  the  education  of  youth 
was,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Fathers,  the  second  means  to  be 
adopted  for  the  preservation  of  the  Catholic  faith  in  New 
Mexico. 

In  the  year  1877,  the  Las  Vegas  college  was  formally 
opened.     A  larger  number  of  students  than  expected  came 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  527 

from  all  parts  of  the  Territory  to  avail  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  offered  them  of  receiving  a  thorough  Catholic 
training.  Young  men  belonging  to  most  tlie  prominent  fam- 
ilies were  formed  in  that  college  during  that  ten  years  of  its 
existence  to  that  Catholic  spirit  which  they  now  manifest  in 
public  life.  Yet  in  the  year  1888,  the  Las  Vegas  college  was 
removed  to  Denver,  assuming  a  new  name  and  enlarging  the 
field  of  its  usef  uUness.  Denver  was  destined  then  to  become 
the  Queen  City  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region,  and  the  metrop- 
olis of  Colorado.  Several  reasons  prompted  the  Fathers  to 
make  this  step,  the  most  cogent  to  them,  perhaps  was  their 
earnest  desire  to  introduce  a  higher  course  of  studies 
according  to  the  ratio  studiorum  of  the  Society,  for  which  a 
larger  city  and  a  more  popular  State  were  undoubtedly 
better  fitted. 

Father  Salvador  Persone  was  the  first  president  of  both 
colleges.  A  more  desirable  site  for  the  present  College  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  could  hardly  have  been  chosen.  The  college  is 
empowered  to  grant  University  and  Collegiate  degrees.  It 
is  intended  for  boarders,  half-boarders  and  day-boarders.  It 
has  an  attendance  of  226  pupils  and  it  has  given  135  graduates 
to  society  and  religion. 

The  Missions. 
As  soon  as  the  diocesan  clergy  became  acquainted  with 
the  Jesuit  Fathers,  or  heard  how  much  good  their  preaching 
was  doing  at  Albuquerque,  their  first  parish,  did  not  fail  to 
see  that  they  were  the  God  sent  and  long  needed  mission- 
aries of  the  diocese.  The  Territory  was  to  enter  upon  a 
period  of  transmission.  Two  rehgions,  Catholicism  and 
modern  religious  indifference  would  soon  meet  on  common 
ground  to  struggle  for  the  mastery  of  the  Mexican  popula- 
tion. The  old  and  new  would  engage  soon  in  the  blood  of 
battle.  The  native  people  were  in  danger  of  losing  their 
faith,  unless  vigorous  measures  would  be  taken  to  instruct 
them  and  w^arn  them  against  religious  innovations.  The  Fath- 
ers w^ere  the  soldiers  sent  by  Almighty  God  to  wage  this 
holy  war,  and  the  missionary  work  among  the  people,  the 
weapon  to  be  brandished  by  them.  Hence  from  their  first 
arrival  in  New   Mexico  they  were  called  upon  a  long  series 


528  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  missions  which  enlarged  a  hundred-fold  the  scope  of  their 
work,  popularized  the  name  of  the  society,  and,  helped  in 
preserving  the  Catholic  faith.  Every  parish,  every  mission, 
every  station  of  the  Archdiocese  of  Santa  Fe  became  grad- 
ually the  scene  of  religious  fervor.  Later  on  the  Fathers 
visited  almost  every  Mexican  parish  in  New  Mexico,  Colo- 
rado, Texas  and  Arizona.  Finally  they  visited  all  California 
and  the  states  of  the  Mexican  frontier.  In  these  latter 
states  they  had  to  teach  the  rudiments  of  religion  to  a  large 
number  of  people  who  never  before  had  the  opportunity  of 
making  their  tirst  holy  communion.  They  gave  in  all  not 
less  than  635  missions  to  Mexicans.  Those  who  worked 
longest  and  hardest  in  this  truly  apostolic  task  were  Father 
P.  Tommasini,  *  Father  A.  M.  Gentile,  Father  J.  M.  Monte- 
narelli,  and  Father  J.  D.  Aponte.  Father  Edv^ard  Barry, 
pastor  of  the  Sacred  Heart  church,  Denver,  Colorado,  is  con- 
tinuing now  the  same  good  work  among  the  English  speak- 
ing population  of  Colorado.     He  has  so  far  given  39  missions. 

The  Parishes. 

The  mission  is  in  charge  of  twenty  parochial  or  quasi 
parochial  churches  in  New  Mexico,  Colorado,  and  Texas- 
They  are:  1st,  church  of  St.  Philip  Neri,  Old  Albuquerque, 
New  Mexico,  Rev,  P.  Tommasini,  pastor;  2nd,  Holy  Trinity 
church,  Trinidad,  Colorado,  Rev.  A.  S.  Person^,  pastor; 
3rd,  St.  Patrick's  church,  Pueblo,  Colorado,  Rev.  J.  B. 
Schimpf,  pastor;  4th,  Our  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel,  Pueblo, 
Colorado,  Rev.  L.  M.  Giglio,  pastor;  5th,  St.  Francis  Xavier's 
church,  Pueblo,  Colorado,  Rev.  F.  X.  Kowald,  pastor;  6th, 
Sacred  Heart  church,  Denver,  Colorado,  Rev.  E.  Barry  pastor: 
7th,  Holy  Family  church,  Denver,  Colorado,  Rev.  L.  Fede, 
pastor;  8th,  Holy  Name  of  Mary  church,  Del  Norte,  Colorado, 
Rev.  J.  N.  Montenarelli,  pastor;  9th,  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe 
church,  Conejos,  Colorado,  Rev.  G.  Massa,  pastor;  10th, 
Sacred  Heart  church,  El  Paso,  Texas,  Rev.  M.  I.  Zaguirre, 
pastor;  11th,  Immaculate  Conception  church,  El  Paso,  Texas, 
Rev.  A.  Roy,  pastor;  12th,  St.  Ignatius  church,  El  Paso,  Texas 

*  Father  P.  Tommasini  is  now  7(5  years  old,  his  first  missionary 
work  was  performed  in  California  where  he  preached  44  missions  in 
1877.     In  New  Mexico  he  has  preached  20  missions.— The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  529 

Rev.  G.  Bertolero,  pastor;  13th,  Guardian  Anj^el  church,  El 
Paso,  Texas,  Rev.  A.  Ciilbert, pastor ;  14th,  St.  Rosaliachurch,  El 
Paso,  Texas,  Rev.  J.  Lafon,  pastor;  15th,  Our  Lady  of  Guada- 
lupe church,  St.  Elizario,  Texas,  Rev.  F.  X.  Toramasini, 
pastor:  IGth,  Our  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel  church,  Isleta, 
Texas,  Rev.  J.  Cordova,  pastor;  17th,  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe, 
church,  Juarez,  Mexico,  Rev.  C  M.  Pinto,  pastor;  18th, 
Immaculate  Conception  church,  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico, 
Rev.  A.  M.  Mandalari,  pastor;  19th,  Sacred  Heart  church, 
Albuquerque,  New  Mexico,  Rev.  P.  Tommasini,  pastor;  20th, 
Alamosa,  Colorado,  Rev.  P.  Bueno,  pastor. 

The  churches  of  Old  Albuquerque,  Juarez  and  Isleta  are 
very  old  and  deserve  special  mention. 

The  church  of  St.  Philip  Neri  of  Old  Albuquerque  was 
erected  before  the  year  1706,  the  baptismal  register  in  pos- 
session of  the  Fathers  dating  from  that  year.  When  the 
Jesuit  Fathers  were  placed  in  charge  of  this  church,  Old 
Albuquerque  was  one  of  the  most  important  towns  of  New 
Mexico.  It  has  since  lost  all  its  historical  antiquity.  Albu- 
querque, a  new  American  city  sprang  up  at  one  mile  distance 
usurping  its  name,  inhabitants  and  importance.  Old  Albu- 
querque is  now  but  a  country  village,  and  a  "magni  nominis 
umbra." 

Nor  is  its  history  all  glorious.  The  town  had  been  for 
years  the  unhappy  receptacle  of  a  United  States  garrison, 
which,  although  charged  with  the  defense  of  the  home  and 
church  from  the  sudden  and  brutal  inroads  of  the  Indians, 
put  instead  to  flight  that  patriarchal  simplicity  of  manners 
and  strictness  of  morals  so  charmingly  beautiful  in  the  Mexi- 
can people.  The  Fathers  had  to  till  a  field  of  briars.  But  God, 
who  had  given  zeal  to  their  hearts,  crowned  their  labors  with 
success.  The  parish  of  St  Philip  Neri  is  one  of  the  glories  of 
the  mission. 

In  the  year  1872,  the  first  parochial  school  in  the  diocese 
was  formally  opened  under  the  direction  of  Father  Vito 
Tromby,  S.  J. 

The  Church  of  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe,  Juarez,  Mexico,  is 
the  oldest  of  the  missions.  The  settlement  of  El  Paso  del 
Norte,  now  Juarez,  was  established  by  the  first  conquerors 
of  New  Mexico.     The  present  church   was  erected  in  1645. 


530  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

The  Franciscan  Fathers  were  in  charge  of  the  parish  from 
the  year  1662  till  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  diocesan  clergy.  The  Jesuit 
Fathers  were  placed  in  charge  of  it  in  1885.  Very  Rev. 
Father  Pinto  is  pastor.  He  has  beautified  the  old  church, 
improved  the  rectory  and  revived  the  piety  of  the  faithful  to 
such  a  degree  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  see  traces  of  the 
abandoned  church,  ruinous  rectory  and  lax  congregation  of 
two  decades  ago. 

The  church  of  Our  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel,  Isleta,  Texas, 
is  also  very  old  and  historical.  It  was  built  in  1692,  the 
parochial  records  dating  from  the  19th  of  May  of  that  year. 
It  was  successfully  in  charge  first  of  the  Franciscan  Fath- 
ers, and  then  of  the  diocesan  clergy.  The  Jesuit  Fathers 
came  to  administer  to  this  parish  in  1880. 

We  close  this  short  sketch  of  the  missions  of  New  Mexico 
and  Colorado  by  giving  a  summary  of  the  Fathers'  work  as  it 
appeared  in  last  year's  report. 

The  Fathers  had  built  and  conduct  one  college;  attendance 
266,  graduates  135. 

They  are  in  charge  of  nineteen  parochial  or  quasi-parochial 
churches  and  attend  121  missions  or  stations  with  78,420 
total  Catholic  population.  They  erected  14  parochial  and  50 
mission  churches.  In  all  these  parochial  and  mission 
churches,  65  missions  have  so  far  been  given  in  English  and 
Spanish,  about  165,213  communions  every  year  are  distrib- 
uted to  the  faithful.  Fifty-five  sodalities  are  in  a  flourishing 
condition,  and  the  Apostleship  of  Prayer  is  established  and 
promoted  with  about  11,082  members. 

The  Fathers  have  also  erected  and  conduct  ten  parochial 
schools  which  are  taught  by  sisters.  Attendance,  2,954;  gra- 
duates, 143. 

They  give  every  year  about  forty  retreats  or  tridums. 

As  regards  for  these  works  undertaken  for  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  endured  with  apostolic 
spirit,  all  the  Fathers  desire  is  that  they  may  find  comfort  in 
this  life  in  the  words  of  the  apostle  "gratia  Dei  in  me  vacua 
non  fuit."  And  in  the  life  to  come  rest,  "laboribus  suis," 
in  the  vision  of  God, 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  581 

The  Franciscans   In   Our  Times. 
The  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Third  Order  are  also  found 
at  present  in  New  Mexico,  having  under  their  charge  the 
curates  of  Peila  Blanca,  Jemes  and  Roswell,  and  occasionally 
giving  missions  in  the  parishes  entrusted  to  other  priests. 

Sisters  of  Charity  Orphan  Asylums — Protestant  Asylums. 
New  Mexico  possesses  several  t)rphan  asylums  under  the 
care  of  the  sisters  of  the  Catholic  Church,  as  well  as  under 
the  charge  of  ladies  of  the  Protestant  faith.  The  first  sisters 
who  opened  orphan  asylums  in  New  Mexico  were  the  Sisters 
of  Charity.  In  the  year  1865,  the  Most  Illustrious  Bishop 
Lamy  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  the  Mother-house  of  the 
Sisters  of  Charity,  of  Cedar  Grove,  four  sisters  whose  names 
were:  Sister  Vicenta,  Sister  Teodosia,  Sister  Paulina  and 
Sister  Catalina.  These  sisters  arrived  in  Santa  F6  in  Sep- 
tember, 1865,  and  opened  the  first  orphan  asylum  and  hospital 
with  Sister  Teodosia  as  superioress.  From  that  year  down 
to  the  present  time  the  sisters  have  increased  in  number  and 
have  established  institutes  for  orphans  with  schools  in  sev- 
eral parts  of  the  state,  having  built  very  costly  asylums  and 
sanatoriums,  one  in  Santa  Fe,  and  one  in  Albuquerque,  the 
last  mentioned  being  founded  in  1870,  due  to  the  efforts  of 
Father  Manecani,  S.  J. 

Orphan  Asylum  at  Santa  Fe. 

The  Sisters  of  Charity  have  charge  at  Santa  F6  of  a  hos- 
pital and  orphan  asylum.  In  the  hospital  proper,  poor  and 
helpless  patients  are  attended,  their  number  reaching  some- 
times to  more  than  a  hundred  a  year.  At  the  orphan  asylum, 
orphan  children  are  received,  and  are  given  food,  raiment 
and  instruction,  their  number  varying  from  46  to  80  a  year. 

Hospitals  at  Albuquerque,  Silver  City,  Gallup,  Las  Vegas  and  Deming. 

At  Albuquerque  the  hospital  is  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of 
Charity.  At  Silver  City  the  hospital  is  in  care  of  the  Sisters 
of  Mercy.  In  the  same  city  there  is  another  hospital  under 
the  care  of   two  ladies   in  which  treatment  is  given  to  poor 


532  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO. 

sick  persons.  At  Deming,  Gallup  and  Las  Vegas  Jbhere  are 
also  hospitals  under  the  care  of  private  persons.  All  the 
establishments  above  noted  receive  funds  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  poor  and  helpless  from  the  public  treasury.  These 
remarks  close  this  chapter,  and  v^e  shall  treat  in  the  next  of 
education,  penal  institutions,  population  and  other   matters. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Primitive  Teaching — Private  School  and  First  Public  School  Laws — 
Private  Colleges — Barreiro's  Report — Message  of  Covernor  Vigil 
-  First  School  for  Teaching  English — Bishop  Lamy — Second  School 
for  Teaching  English — School  for  Cirls — Sisters  of  Loretto — Incor- 
poration of  the  Sisters  of  Loretto — Property  and  Improvements  of 
the  Sisters  of  Loretto  and  Their  Value — Christian  Brothers — The 
Brothers  Start  for  New  Mexico — Opening  of  the  College — New 
Director — Brothers  Ceramius  and  Domiciano — New  Director  and 
New  Era — The  Good  Done  by  the  College — Silver  Jubilee  -Golden 
Jubilee — Sisters  of  Charity — Las  Vegas  College  —  (Colegio  de  Las 
Vegas) — Parochial  School  at  Santa  Fe —Public  Schools — Superin- 
tendent of  Public  Instruction — County  School  Superintendent — 
School  and  Municipal  Districts — The  Counties  of  the  Territory — 
Number  of  Students — Funds — Private  Sectarian  Schools — Peda- 
gogical Institutions  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico— Additional  Funds 
— Indian'Schools — Summary — Penal  and  Other  Institutions — Popu- 
lation of  New  Mexico  at  Different  Epochs. 


In  this  chapter  the  reader  shall  be  presented  in  the  first 
place  with  the  history  of  education  from  the  establishment 
of  the  first  school  in  1599  by  the  Franciscans  who  came  along 
with  Onate.*  The  reader  will  remember  to  have  read  in 
former  chapters  extracts  from  the  memorandum  or  account 
made  by  Father  Fr.  Benavides  in  the  year  1630,  to  the  King 
of  Spain,  in  Madrid,  in  which  said  Father  gave  a  narrative  in 
detail  of  the  industrial  schools  and  shops  which  up  to  that 
date,  the  Franciscans  had  established  in  New  Mexico,  as  well 
as  of  the  minerals  which  had  been  discovered,  and,  finally, 
of  the  precise  condition  in  which  New  Mexico  was  found  at 
that  epoch.  In  that  report  f  Fr.  Benavides  tells  us  how  many 
schools  and  work  shops  the  Franciscans  had  in  each  pueblo. 

*  Although  the  Indians  of  New  Mexico  began  to  receive  instruction 
in  reading  etc.,  as  early  as  1581,  by  Fr.  Agustin  Rodriguez  and  his 
companions  as  has  already  l)een  stated  (ante).— Thf,  Authok. 

t  That  report  is  given  as  first  appendix  of  this  work.  — The 
Author. 


534  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

But  as  the  Spaniards  were  expelled  in  the  year  1680,  it  must 
be  understood  that  the  first  fruits  of  education  implanted  in 
Mew  Mexico  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  ended  with  the 
expulsion  of  Otermin  in  the  said  year,  1680,  without  there 
remaining  any  possibility  for  the  schools  to  continue  until 
after  the  reconquest  by  De  Vargas  in  1692-1693,  when  the 
Franciscan  Fathers  again  came  to  continue  the  education 
of  the  Indians  and  Spanish  children. 

We  have  already  seen  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  fourth 
book,  of  this  work  how,  io  the  year  1721,  public  schools  were 
established  in  New  Mexico  by  decree  of  the  King,  directed 
by  Franciscan  Fathers,  in  all  the  pueblos,  and  Spanish  settle- 
ments, thus  widening  the  educational  sphere  which  said 
Fathers  re-established  in  New  Mexico  in  1693-4,  the  year  of 
the  reconquest  by  De  Vargas;  so  that  education  in  New 
Mexico  was  implanted  in  its  soil  by  the  Catholic  Church 
prior  to  the  year  1598-9.  There  being  no  other  statistics 
(except  those  furnished  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  already 
quoted)  which  stretch  further  back  than  the  year  1800,  we 
have  to  take,  as  our  starting  point,  from  that  date  what  we 
find  in  Barriero,  Pino  and  Escudero,  who  wrote  their  works 
in  the  years  1812,  1832,  and  1843,  respectively. 

In  Pino  *  we  read  that  by  virtue  of  a  royal  decree  of  June 
30th,  1777,  and  a  brief  of  His  Holiness,  the  Pope,  of  November 
17,  1777,  a  building  was  erected  for  a  college,  or  seminary 
for  the  education  of  religious  persons,  which  is  supposed  to 
have  been  constructed  in  Santa  Fe,  as  Pino  says  nothing 
about  that,  but  does  say  that  with  the  conclusion  of  the 
edifice  everything  came  to  an  end,  as  not  a  school  was  ever 
opened  in  the  seminary  for  lack  of  resources. 

Private  School  in  Santa  Fe. 

Attorney  Barriero  in  his  "Adici6n"'  to  Pino's  work  on  page 
62,  tells  us  that  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
there  was  a  private  school  in  Santa  Fe,  which  he  describes  in 
this  way: 

"At  the    home  of  Vicar    General   Don    Juan    Rafael 
Rascon,  the  young  man  Guadalupe  Miranda  (who  subse- 

*  Pino  "Not.  Hist.,"  j).  .{1. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  535 

quently  became  Secretaryof  State.— The  Author)  renders 
this  Territory  a  very  important  service  in  teaching  to 
several  young  men  the  elements  of  Spanish  grammar, 
Latin,  and  the  rudiments  of  philosophy;  the  constancy  of 
citizen  Miranda  deserves  just  eulogy,  and  it  is  deserved, 
no  less,  by  the  youths  who  avail  themselves  of  this 
opportunity,  for  they  struggle  against  great  inconve- 
niences, such  as  the  lack  of  books,  etc.  May  heaven  grant 
New  Mexico  a  scientific  establishment  in  which  her  sons 
may  be  instructed  according  to  the  enlightenment  of  our 
century.'" 

Barriero  continues  speaking  of  the  criminal  neglect  in 
which  the  government  had  kept  the  youth  of  New  Mexico, 
and  referring  to  the  subject  of  public  schools,  says: 

"Comparatively  speaking,  nothing  could  be  better 
endowed  in  the  Territory  than  the  establishment  of 
schools;  yet  nothing  is  found  in  a  more  pitiable  condition 
than  the  schools;  no  results  from  the  primary  teaching 
are  evident:  this  misfortune  being  due,  in  part,  to  the 
neglect,  jealousy,  and  ignorance  of  some  of  the  teachers, 
as  well  as  to  the  little  zeal  shown  by  the  authorities. "" 

Public  Schools. 

Speaking  on  the  same  subject  Barriero  makes  an  exposition 
showing  the  towns  in  the  Territory  which  had  public  primary 
schools,  and  the  salaries  paid  to  teachers;  from  which  we 
see  that  Santa  Pe,  San  Miguel  del  Vado,  Santa  Cruz  de  La 
Cafiada,  Taos,  Albuquerque,  and  Belen,  were  the  only  places 
in  which  public  schools  were  kept,  and  that  the  pay  to 
teachers  was:  In  Santa  Pe,  |500  a  year;  in  San  Miguel  del 
Vado,  Taos,  and  Belen,  §250  in  eachlplace;  and  in  Santa  Cruz 
and  Albuqueque,  §300  in  each  place. 

Prom  the  above  statement  two  conclusions  may  be  drawn, 
viz:  That  the  people  of  New  Mexico,  notwithstanding  their 
injustifiable  neglect  by  the  government,  and  the  continual 
peril  to  which  the  country  was  exposed  on  account  of  the 
incursions  of  the  Indians,  heartily  desired  to  give  its  youth 
the  best  education  possible,  under  the  strained  circumstances 
surrounding  them  and,  secondly,  that  despite  its  lack  of  in- 


536  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

dustries  such  as  manufactures,  and  others  expedients,  they 
made  great  sacrifices  for  gathering  the  means  of  paying  their 
teachers. 

Private  Schools — First  Public  School  Law  Approved  April  27,  1822. 

There  were  in  New  Mexico,  besides  the  schools  mentioned 
by  Barreiro,  other  private  schools  whose  preceptors  were 
brought  from  Mexico  and  Spain,  at  private  expense;  among 
them  was  the  school  established  by  Don  Geronimo  Becerra, 
at  Abiquiu,  towards  the  close  of  the  eighteenth,  or  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  In  that  school  many 
of  the  foremost  men  in  New  Mexico,  of  that  epoch,  were 
educated,  among  them  Rev.  Father  Antonio  Jose  Martinez 
stands  the  most  conspicuous — a  man  who  subsequently  cut 
SQch  a  prominent  figure  under  the  governments  of  Spain, 
Mexico  and  the  United  States;  but  it  was  not  until  April  27, 
1822,  that  the  first  step  was  taken  to  again  establish,  by  law, 
public  schools  in  New  Mexico.  At  its  session  of  that  date 
the  "Diputaci6n  Provincial"  approved  such  a  law — which 
failed  of  producing  any  results  through  the  lack  of  public 
funds.  Some  good  however,  was  accomplished  by  it,  because 
private  wealthy  citizens  contributed  liberally  to  keep  it  up 
for  several  years.  Again  in  1823,  the  "Diputaci6n  Provin- 
cial" passed  a  second  school  law  for  the  establishment  of  a 
High  School  at  El  Paso  (now  Juarez).  In  that  school  Latin 
and  Spanish  grammars  had  to  be  taught.  These  laws  we 
will  now  consider: 

First  School  Law — April  27,  1822. 

The  law  referred  to  was  not  a  law  as  we  now  understand 
that  term,  no,  it  was  a  resolution  of  the  assembly,  in  other 
words,  a  motion  of  one  of  its  members  as  follows:  "Mr. 
Vigil  made  the  following  proposition.  I  move  that  H.  E. 
(His  Excellency)  take  the  necessary  steps  for  the  education 
of  the  youth  in  accordance  with  the  authority  with  which  he 
is  invested,  promoting  the  activities  and  performance  of 
such  an  important  matter  by  the  Ayuntamientos  (municipal- 
ities). The  motion,  after  full  discussion,  was  approved  b}^ 
directing  the  said  Ayuntamieutos  to  proceed  without  delay 


ILLUSTKATIOI)    [IISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  537 

to  the  formation   of  public  sqhools,  of  primary  grades,  in 
accordance  with  tlie  means  of  each  community"'  (Pueblo.)* 

Second  Law  on  Education — March  17,  1823. 

March  17,  1823,  the  asamblea,  on  motion,  adopted  a  propo- 
sition submitted  by  the  Ayuntamientos  of  El  Paso  (now  City 
of  Juarez),  wiiich  settlement  was  then  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  New  Mexico,  for  the  establishment  at  that  place  of  a  high 
school  for  teaching  grammar  in  both  the  Spanish  and  Latin 
languages.  Don  Luis  Diaz  de  Lujan — who  presented  the 
proposition — agreeing  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  school 
and  to  teach  the  children  of  all  those  who  would  contribute  to 
its  support.  The  Ayuntamiento  of  El  Paso  was  charged 
with  the  care,  responsibility  and  compliance  of  this  law.  f 

Private  Colleges. 

Two  Catholic  priests  in  the  year  1826,  established  at  their 
own  expense,  two  colleges  from  which  much  good  resulted 
for  New  Mexico,  these  priests  being  the  Vicar,  Agustin 
Fernandez,  at  Santa  F6,  and  Padre  Martinez,  at  Taos.  Prom 
those  colleges  came  many  of  the  men  who  subsequently  made 
laws  for  the  country.  In  1827,  there  were  in  New  Mexico,  in 
addition  to  the  colleges  above  mentioned,  seventeen  schools 

Note—*  "El  Sr.  Vigil  hizo  la  proposicion  siguiente:  Pido  que  se 
seiva  S.  E.  promober  la  Educacion  de  la  jubentud  como  una  de  las 
atribuciones  que  le  cori'esponden,  probocando  la  actividad  y  desem- 
peno  de  los  Ayuntamientos  en  esta  importantisima  materia. 
Admitida  a  discusion  seresolvio  que  se  oficie  -A  los  expi^esados  Ayun- 
tamientos que  evacuen  cuanto  antes  la  forraacion  de  las  Escuelas  pub- 
licas,  de  primeras  letras,  segun  las  circumstancias  de  cada  Pueblo — 
Session  of  .April  27,  1822— Journal  No.  11,  page  8.  Surveyor  General's 
Office,  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.— The  Author. 

t  Sesion  del  dia  17  de  Marzo  de  1823.  "Se  procedio  a  la  lecura  de 
una  proposicion  que  a  acordado  el  Ayuntamiento  del  Pueblo  del  Paso 
sobrela  creacion  de  un  establecimiento  para  ensenar  la  gramtitica  en 
las  lenguas  Castellana  y  Latina,  segun  el  plan  que  a  dicho  Ayunta- 
miento a  propuesto  Don  Luis  Diaz  de  Lujan  que  se  a  ofrecido  a  dar 
la  ensefiariza  a  los  ninos  sufragando  los  gastos  de  dicho  estableci- 
miento los  mismos  interesados,  se  resolvio  se  aprobara  dicho  plan  y 
que  se  encargue  dho  Ayuntamiento  de  vigilar  el  cumplimiento  del 
director  y  asistentes  de  los  ninos.'"  Journal  No.  40  page  40.  Arch, 
in  Surveyor  General's  office,  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.— The  Author. 


538  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP   NEW    MEXICO. 

with  an  equal  numb'er  of  teachers,  and  in  18i4,  schools  had 
been  established  in  all  points  of  importance,  Governor  Don 
Mariano  Martinez  having,  on  that  year,  thrown  the  weight  of 
his  prestige,  helping  with  his  own  money,  in  the  establish- 
ment of  public  schools  in  Santa  Pe,  in  which  literary  and 
military  instruction  was  given,  the  governor,  also,  having 
brought  two  professors  from  Europe,  whose  names  were 
Francisco  Gonzales  and  Eduardo  Taty. 

Contributions  and  Appropriations  to  Pay  Teachers — 1824. 
On  December  17, 1824,  the  "asambleadepartamentar'appro- 
priated  the  sum  of  $2,000.00  for  the  payment  of  salaries  due 
school  teachers.  There  were  no  funds  available  to  pay  them 
and  the  said  amount  of  $2,000.00  was  taken  from  the  funds 
set  apart  for  the  support  of  the  company  of  soldiers  stationed 
in  Santa  Fe. 

Public  Schools  Again  Established. 

At  its  session  of  September  10, 1825,  the  assembly  decreed 
again  the  establishment  of  public  schools  in  the  Territory, 
but,  for  lack  of  funds,  they  were  to  depend  on  voluntary  con- 
tributions. Fathers  Antonio  Jose  Martinez  and  Juan  Felipe 
Ortiz,  both  members  of  the  assembly,  were  charged  with  the 
duty  of  organizing  the  schools  and  they  were  instructed  to 
have  them  opened  the  following  month. 

Salary  of  Father  Alvares. 
On  November  7,  1825,  the  asamblea  agreed,  by  unanimous 
vote,  to  pay  Rev,  Sebastian  Alvares  the  salary  of  $1,000.00 
annually,  for  his  services  as  director  (principal)  of  the  city 
public  schools.  Don  Francisco  Ortiz  made  the  offer  of  a  school 
house  for  ten  years,  free  of  rent,  which  offer  was  accepted. 

Governor  Francisco  Xavier  Donates  $1,000.00. 
At  the  session  of  April  18,  1826,  there  were  no  funds  to  pay 
the  teachers,  a  contribution  was  taken  up,  Governor  Xavier 
(Javier)  contributing  with  the  sum  of  $1,000.00. 

Vicar  Fernandez  Assumes  Charge  of  the  College. 
The  report  of  Vicar  Agustin  t^^'ernandez  was  considered  by 
the  asamblea  on  May  19,  1826.     Father  Fernandez's  report 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  539 

showed  that  the  rules  of  discipline  lor  the  public  college  in 
the  Capital,  Santa  F^,  had  been  prepared,  approved  and 
were  being  enforced. 

In  the  year  1827,  there  was  besides  the  college  one  more 
public  school  in  Santa  F6  under  the  charge  of  Professor 
Teodocio  Quintana.  Professor  Quintana,  at  the  session  of 
the  assemblea  of  August  of  that  year,  reported  that  his 
predecessor  had  only  reported  to  him  an  enrollment  of  29 
pupils.  The  alcaldes  were  directed  to  take  the  necessary 
steps  to  increase  the  enrollment  and  attendance  of  pupils. 
The  foregding  review^  of  educational  conditions  in  New 
Mexico  prior  to  1846  is  a  true  representation  of  the  struggles 
and  laudable  etforts  made  by  the  people  of  the  Territory 
during  the  darkest  period  of  their  history,  when  they  had  to 
face  not  only  the  savages  who  harassed  them  day  and  night, 
but  poverty  itself.     Their  constancy  was  truly  marvelous. 

It  is,  them,  seen  that,  at  the  time  of  the  annexation  of  New 
Mexico  to  the  United  States,  the  mental  condition  of  New  Mex- 
ico, from  an  educational  viewpoint,  was  lamentable,  and  that 
for  the  purpose  of  remedying  somewhat  the  sad  situation, 
Don  Donaciano  Vigil,  who  was  acting  as  governor  after  the 
murder  of  Governor  Bent,  recommended  to  the  legislature, 
which  met  that  year  in  Santa  F6,  under  the  military  govern- 
ment, that  an  appropriation  should  be  made  in  order  to 
foment  the  education  of  the  youth  of  New  Mexico.  Gov- 
ernor Vigil  uses  the  following  words: 

Message  of  Governor  Vigil. 

"Actually  there  is  but  one  public  school  in  the  Territory, 
situated  in  the  City  of  Santa  Fe,  and  supported  by  the  county 
funds.  To  this  school  all  children  may  attend,  but  the  funds 
of  the  county  are  insufficient  to  employ  more  than  one 
teacher " 

"It  stands  to  reason  that  when  there  are  no  private  schools 
or  academies,  the  means  for  obtaining  an  education  are  very 
limited;  for  this  reason  the  means  to  give  all  an  equal  chance 
of  being  educated  should  be  increased,  that  is,  an  even  chance 
to  the  poor  as  well  as  to  the  rich;  and,  if  it  were  possible,  to 
establish  a  school,  in  each  point,  city  and  village  in  the 
Territory,     If  our  government  is  to  be  republican,  if  it  is 


540  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

to  be  based  upon  democratic  principles,  and  if  the  will  of  the 
majority  is  to  be  one  day  the  law  and  government  of  the 
people, it  is  of  the  highest  importance  that  thatwill  be  properly 

observed.     The  people  must    be    enlightened so    that 

every  man  may  be  able  to  read  and  inform  himself  of  the 
events  of  the  day  and  of  the  important  subjects  which  relate 
to  his  government  and  country The  world  is  progress- 
ing, and  how  shall  we  be  able  to  draw  the  benefits  of  that 
advancement  if  w^e  do  not  educate  our  people?  True  it  is 
that  the  expedients  which  we  can  dispose  of  today  are  few, 
nevertheless,  in  order  to  promote  so  laudable  an  object,  they 
can  be  increased  and  economized.  All  that  the  legislature 
may  be  able  to  do  in  favor  of  education,  I  most  earnestly 
request  them  to  do,  assuring  them  that  for  that  purpose  I 
shall  cooperate  with  my  whole  heart."  * 

First   School   for  Teaching    English — Bishop   Lamy — Establishment  of 
Public  Schools. 

Just  as  education  was  due  to  the  Catholic  church  from  the 
time  of  the  first  colonization  of  New  Mexico  to  the  date  w^hen 
the  change  of  governments  was  effected  (for  neither  the 
Spanish  nor  the  Mexican  governments  did  much  for  the  pro- 
motion of  education,  but  rather  neglected  it  entirely,  leaving 
it  all  to  the  church)  so  also,  immediately  after  the  change  of 
flags,  it  was  the  Catholic  church  tha^t  took  the  first  step  for 
the  establishment  of  schools  in  New  Mexico.  The  treatment 
which  New  Mexico  received  at  the  hands  of  the  American 
government  from  1846  down  to  our  own  days,  regarding 
education,  despoils  us  of  the  right  to  censure  the  govern- 
ments of  Spain  and  Mexico  for  having  neglected  the  educa- 
tion of  New  Mexico's  children,  for  our  government  has  done 
nothing  except  having,  but  very  recently,  aided  us  with  a  few 
thousands  of  dollars,  annually,  for  the  payment  of  our  public 
schools;  but  those  few  thousand  dollars  have  not  come  out  of 
the  national  treasury,  but  from  the  sales  and  leases  made  by 
the  government  of  our  own  public  lands;  so  that  all  the  edu- 
cation given  in  New  Mexico,  from  the  change  of  flags  to  the 
present  time,  is  due  primarily  to  the  most  illustrious  Arch- 

*  Ritch.     ''New  Me.x." 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  541 

bishop  Lamy,  of  grateful  memory;  to  the  churches  of  other 
denominations,  and  to  the  sons  of  New  Mexico  themselves, 
who  have,  since  1863,  organized  a  system  of  public  schools 
throughout  the  Territory,  our  treasury  furnishing  the  funds 
lor  the  support  of  the  same. 

First  Public  School  Law— 1863. 

In  that  year  (1863)  the  first  law  was  passed  whereby  the 
management  of  the  schools  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
Governor,  the  Secretary  of  the  Territory  and  Bishop  Lamy, 
and  from  that  year  to  this  date,  all  the  legislatures  have 
been  passing  new  laws  for  the  broadening  of  education,  so 
that  today  New^  Mexico  is  not  behind  any  of  the  States  of 
the  Union  in  the  intellectual  advancement  of  its  youth.  In 
another  part  of  this  chapter  we  shall  treat  of  the  share  the 
public  schools  have  had  in  the  intellectual  development  in 
New  Mexico,  as  we  must  now  turn  back  to  our  starting 
point,  namely,  the  first  English  school  established  in  New 
Mexico  under  the  American  flag. 

First  English  School. 

In  the  year  1851,  when  his  Lordship,  Bishop  Lamy,  had 
done  away  with  the  difficulties  he  met  on  his  arrival,  he  took 
the  first  step  to  establish  in  New  Mexico  a  school  with  the 
object  of  teaching  English.  He  brought  an  English  professor 
whose  name  was  E.  Noel,  who  opened  a  school  at  the  Capital, 
and  kept  it  in  operation  for  several  years.  Several  of  the  men 
who  were  educated  in  that  school  figured  afterwards  in  pub- 
lic life,  among  them,  Don  Demetrio  Perez,  a  respectable  old 
gentleman  who  still  lives  at  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico,  he  being 
the  person  who  gave  the  author  the  information  regarding 
the  establishment  of  said  school  (which  fact  has  been  ignored 
by  other  historians  of  New  Mexico  through  lack,  perhaps,  of 
any  knowledge  of  it).  Don  Demetrio  Perez  has  figured  in 
public  life  in  high  positions. 

Second  English  School. 

In  1852,  the  second  private  school  for  teaching  English  was 
established  in  Santa  F6,  its  teacher  being  a  lady  named  Howe, 


542  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

but  there  was  at  the  same  time  the  pubhc  school  already  re- 
ferred to,  supra,  and  a  i3rivate  school  conducted  by  a- teacher 
named  Pacheco.  Things  remained  thus  in  the  matter  of 
schools  until  the  year  1863,  when  the  first  school  law  already 
mentioned  was  passed.  For  female  children  the  school  of  the 
Sisters  of  Loretto  was  next  founded;  to  this  school  we  shall 
now  refer. 

School  for  Girls — Sisters  of  Loretto. 
His  Lordship,  Bishop  Lamy,  recognizing  the  urgent  need 
that  existed  for  the  establishment  of  a  school  for  girls, 
started  for  the  east  in  the  year  1852,  for  the  purpose  ot  attend- 
ing the  plenary  council  of  Baltimore,  and,  also,  with  the  object 
of  bringmg  sisters  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  convent 
at  Santa  Fe.  Success  crowned  his  wishes.  He  returned  the 
same  year  bringing  with  him  the  first  sisters  who  founded 
the  school,  or  academy  of  Loretto  in  the  Capital,  and  from 
which  we  have  today  ramifications  in  the  principal  parts  of 
the  State.  * 

First  Sisters. 

On  June  27,  1852,  six  sisters  accompanied  by  Bishop  Lamy, 
started  for  New^  Mexico  from  the  Mother-house  of  Loretto, 
in  Kentucky.  One  of  them  was  Sister  Matilda,  who  came  as 
superioress,  but  who  died  on  the  trip,  between  Kansas  and 
Independence,  a  victim  of  cholera,  a  disease  that  attacked 
two  other  sisters,  one  of  whom  was  obliged  to  return  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  the  other,  Magdalena  Hayden,  was  appointed 
superioress.  With  her  along,  the  caravan  left  Independ- 
ence on  the  first  of  August  of  that  year,  reaching  Santa 
Fe  on  September  26th  following,  having  suffered  in  the  long 
trip  across  the  plains  almost  unbearable  hardships,  and 
lost  one  of  their  number  who  died  on  the  road,  her  remains 
being  buried  in  the  desert.  On  the  first  of  January,  1853,  the 
first  school  of  the  sisters,  under  the  title  of  "Our  Lady  of 
Light,"  opened  its  doors  to  the  girls  of  New  Mexico  in  Arch- 
bishop's Lamy's  own  house,  where  the  sisters  kept  the  school 
until  the  year  1857,  when  they  bought  a  two  story  house 
which  stood  in  precisely  the  location  where  stands  today  the 

*  The   information  that  follows  has  been  obtained  by  the   author 
Irom  the  mother  superior  of  the  principal  convent  at  Santa  F^. 


544  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

main  structui-e  of  the  sumptuous  and  elegant  buildings 
which  form  the  Academy  and  Convent  of  Loretto,  in  the 
Capital.  The  small  number  of  six  sisters  which  originally 
came  was  gradually  increased  from  year  to  year  with  the 
advent  of  new  sisters  and  the  ingress  into  the  order  of  young 
Spanish-American  girls  of  New  Mexico,  the  sisters  being 
thus  enabled  to  establish  convents  in  other  parts  of  the  Ter- 
ritory. They  established  a  convent  at  Taos  in  1873,  in  Mora, 
in  1864,  and  in  the  City  of  Denver,  Colorado,  in  the  same  year. 
Those  convents  were  followed  by  the  following:  One  at  Las 
Vegas,  another  at  Las  Cruces,  another  at  Socorro,  and 
another  at  San  Elizario,  Texas. 

Deaths  of  Mothers  Magdalena  and  Francisca  Lamy. 

Sister  Magdalena  passed  to  a  better  life  on  October  27th, 
1894,  having  suffered  from  almost  complete  paralysis  from 
the  year  1881. 

She  was  succeeded  by  Sister  Francisca  Lamj-,  a  niece  to 
Archbishop  Lamy,  who  was  afterwards  sent  to  Kentucky  as 
assistant  to  the  Mother  Superior  of  the  order,  and  who 
passed  to  her  reward  in  Kentucky  in  March,  1912.  The  other 
mothers  who  have  administered  the  convent,  respectively, 
are  Sister  Catherine  Connor,  Sister  Lucia  Ferea,  Sister 
Barbara,  and  Sister  Kosina,  the  actual  superioress. 

For  the  purpose  of  exercising  legal  rights  and  of  enjoying 
the  protection  of  the  law,  the  sisters  of  Loretto  incorporated 
their  school  under  the  laws  of  New  Mexico  in  1874,  from 
which  date  they  have  issued  diplomas  to  Dheir  graduates. 

Said  sisters  have,  in  the  City  of  Santa  F6,  the  best  school 
buildings  this  side  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  namely;  the  beau- 
tiful and  very  costly  chapel  constructed  in  1878,  and  about 
which  we  have  already  spoken,  and  the  tineacademj^  building 
which  they  erected  in  1881.  Both  institutions  are  equipped 
with  all  modern  conveniences  and  up-to-date  furniture;  they 
also  built  a  three  story  brick  convent  in  the  year  1892, 
on  the  precise  place  where  the  first  editice  or  adobe  house  of 
two  stories  bought  by  them  in  1857  stood  before  and  which 
at  that  time  was  known  by  the  name  of  ''Casa  Americana' 
(American  house)  all  of  which  said  property  is  worth  about 
$88,000,  without  including  in  this  amount  the  valuable  hbrary 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  545 

which  has  over  a  thousand  volumes  of  the  best  known 
authors.  The  number  of  young  ladies — boarders  and  day- 
scholars — who  attend  the  school  is  on  an  average,  from  146 
to  200.  The  value  of  the  property  of  the  sisters  in  other 
parts  of  the  state,  as  given  by  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction  of  New   Mexico  is  as  follows:     The  convent  at 


Rov.  Peter  Eguillon,  second  Vicar  of  New  Mexico  under 
Archbishop  Lamy. 

Las  Cruces,  $50,000:  the  (Convents  at  Socorro,  Mora,  Taos  and 
Las  Vegas,  is  not  given  in  the  official  report  of  said  superin- 
tendent but  all  of  said  convents  are  costly  edifices. 

Christian  Brothers. 

Before  coming  into  the  narrative  of  the  advent  of  the 
Christian  Brothers,  it  is  but  just  to  offer  a  word  of  gratitude 
and  pleasing  remembrance  to  two  of  the  apostolic  co-labor- 
ers of  the  Most  Illustrious  Bishop   Lamy,  who,  during  the 


546 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


first  years  of  the  territorial  government,  under  the  Ameri- 
can government,  were  real  apostles  and  true  missionaries, 
and,  therefore,  are  v^'^orthy  of  a  great  share  of  the  glory  with 
which  grateful  history  decks  the  brows  of  the  Most  Illus- 
trious Bishop  Lamy.  They  are  Fathers  P.  J.  Machebeuf, 
first  vicar  general  of  New  Mexico,  and  his  successor.  Father 


Rov.  A.  M.  ^riiiKlaliiri,  S.  .1.  Pastor.  Alhuciuc 


Peter  Eguillon.  These  two  zealous  missionaries  co-operated 
with  Bishop  Lamy  in  a  very  efficient  manner  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  new  ecclesiastical  government  and  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  schools  of  the  Sisters  and  the  Christian  Broth- 
ers, the  bringing  of  the  Jesuits  and  other  religious  persons. 
Now  we  must  state  that  to  the  zeal  of  said  Father  Mache- 
beuf and  his  successor  Father  Eguillon,  New  Mexico  owes  as 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  'iA7 

great  a  debt  as  the  one  she  owes  to  Lamy.  Machebeuf  acted 
in  his  sacerdotal  ministry  in  several  points  of  New  Mexico, 
first  as  Vicar  General,  then  as  cur^  of  Albuquerque,  after- 
wards was  made  bishop  of  Arizona,  and,  finally,  was  given 
the  bishopric  of  Colorado,  where  he  died.  In  1858,  Father 
Eguillon,  at  that  time  Vicar  General  of  New  Mexico,  was 
sent  to  Prance  by  Bishop  Lamy  w^ith  the  object  of  bringing 
Christian  Brothers  for  the  establishment  of  colleges  in  New 
Mexico.  His  trip  to  France  gave  the  results  which  both  he 
and  Bishop  Lamy  longed  for,  as  he  obtained  from  Brother 
Phillip,  Superior  General  of  the  Christian  Brothers  in 
France,  the  following  brothers:  Hilarion,  Gondulph,  Gera- 
mius  and  Galmier. 

The  Brothers  Start  for  New  Mexico. 

On  August  17th,  1859,*  said  Brothers  sailed  for  America  in 
company  of  Father  Eguillon  and  nine  priests  (Rev.  J.  B.  Sal- 
pointe,  afterwards  Archbishop,  being  one  of  them)  whom 
Father  Eguillon  was  bringing  to  New  Mexico,  arriving  in 
New  York  without  any  difficulty  at  the  end  of  the  month  and 
remaining  in  that  place  for  some  days  to  take  a  needed 
rest  from  the  toils  of  their  ocean  trip,  and  resuming  their 
journey  with  the  addition  of  one  more  brother,  Optatien,  who 
had  been  added  to  them  at  that  place  by  the  brother  director 
of  the  Christian  Brothers  in  New  York.  They  traversed  the 
plains  and  deserts,  undergoing  all  sorts  of  sufferings,  besides 
being  daily  exposed  to  be  murdered  by  the  Indians,  and 
arrived  in  Santa  Fe,  on  October  27th  of  that  year,  after  two 
months  and  two  days  of  an  annoying  jou  rney.  His  Lordship, 
the  bishop,  gave  them  lodging  in  his  own  dwelling  until  the 
next  day,  when  the  house  in  which  they  were  to  commence 
their  first  scholastic  tasks,  was  delivered  to  them.  That 
house  was  an  adobe  building  situated  in  the  same  place 
where  stands  today  the  sumptuous  structure  which  forms  at 
present  the  main  portion  of  Saint  Michael's  College,  but  as 
the  house  was  not  prcvided  with  the  necessary  and  proper 
furniture,  the  brothers  had  to  sleep,  for  several  nights,  on 

*The  narrative  tliat  follows  is  taken  from  .Salpointe:     "Soldiers 
of  the  Cross,"  and  from  the  archives  of  .St.  Michaefs  College. 


548  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

mattresses  stretched  out  on  the  bare  ground,  there  being  no 
lumber  floors  in  the  house.  Meanwhile  the  brothers  took 
their  meals  at  the  bishop's.  Two  or  three  days  after,  the 
brothers  commenced  to  repair  the  building,  furnishing  it 
with  tive  chairs,  live  mattresses,  live  blankets,  and  a  few 
benches,  all  of  which  was  donated  to  them  by  his  Lordship, 
Bishop  Lamy,  whose  poverty  was  equal  to  that  of  the 
brothers. 

Opening  of  the  College — Brother  Hilarion  First  Director. 

The  ninth  of  November,  1859,  marks  another  luminous 
page  in  the  history  of  New  Mexico  in  its  educational  annals, 
as  luminous  as  the  one  marked  by  the  opening  of  the  Con- 
vent of  the  Sisters  of  Loretto,  on  the  first  of  January,  1858. 
On  that  day,  pupils  began  to  be  received  at  St.  Michael's 
College,  with  Brother  Hilarion  at  the  head;  but  as  Brother 
Hilarion  would  not  establish  a  school  for  boarders,  for  lack 
of  means  to  keep  it  up,  Archbishop  Lamy  took  upon  himself 
the  responsibility  of  paying  the  Brothers  from  his  own 
purse  $800.00  for  the  five  Brothers,  a  year,  and  gave  them, 
at  the  same  time,  their  food,  lodging  and  washing;  the  food 
was  to  consist  of  cotfee,  bread,  meat  and  vegetables.  The 
college  thus  continued  under  such  conditions  for  two  years. 
On  the  22nd  of  December,  1859,  the  school  was  opened  to 
boarders  giving  the  college  great  help,  for  the  brothers 
could  then  account  a  number  of  pupils  which  varied  from 
100  to  250  day  scholars  and  30  boarders. 

The  New  Directors. 

On  February  7th,  1862,  Brother  Hilarion  had  to  return  to 
France  in  obedience  to  the  call  of  his  superior,  being  suc- 
ceeded by  Brother  Gondulph,  who  acted  as  director  until 
September  10th,  1862,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Brother 
Geramius.  Brother  Hilarion,  at  the  time  of  his  departure 
for  France,  left  the  college  well  furnished,  with  a  valuable 
library,  all  the  buildings  in  good  condition,  and  without  any 
debt.  Brother  Gondulph  succeeded  in  increasing  the  pres- 
tige the  college  already  had  in  the  Territory,  erected  new 
buildings,  put  on  new  roofs,  and  a  new  wooden  floor  in  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  549 

Church  of  San  Miguel,  *  and  improved  in  other  respects  the 
condition  of  the  college  before  leaving  it  in  charge  of  brother 
(ierauiius,  his  successor. 

Brothers  Geramius  and  Domiciano. 

Under  the  administration  of  these  two  Brothers  who  were 
directors,  alternately,  until  1870,  the  college  continued  to 
prosper,  and  with  its  progress.  New  Mexico  continued  to 
receive  the  benefits  of  true  ed  ucation.  In  June  1869,  Brother 
Geramius  was  transferred  to  South  America,  as  Directory 
of  the  Christian  Brother's  College,  at  Quito,  in  the  Republic 
of  Ecuador,  Brother  Domiciano  assuming  temporarily  the 
charge  of  the  college  at  Santa  F^,  acting  as  director  for  only 
four  months,  or  to  the  first  of  November,  1870. 

New  Director  and  New  Era — Brother  Botulph. 
On  November  1st,  1870,  Brother  Botulph  became  the  pres- 
ident of  the  college,  and  was  the  director  who  acted  longest, 
acting  as  such  until  the  ninth  of  February,  1905,  the  date  on 
which  he  died  at  the  Capital,  and  was  succeeded  by  Brother 
Hermes,  who  has  also  already  descended  to  the  tomb,  his  suc- 
cessor being'Brother  James  Walter,  and  the  latter's.  Brother 
Edward,  the  actual  president  of  the  college. 

Tribute  to  Brother  Botulph. 
The  State  owes  Brother  Botulph  a  great  debt  of  gratitude, 
because  it  was  he  wiio,  through  incredible  sacrifices,  suc- 
ceeded in  constructing  the  fine  buildings  that  today  make 
up  the  College  of  Saint  Michael,  which,  it  may  be  said  with- 
out any  fear  of  contradiction,  are  the  best  of  their  class,  not 
only  in  New  Mexico,  but  in  Colorado  and  Arizona,  their  cost 
being,  including  the  tine  library,  not  less  than  $200,000. 
Out  of  that  sum,  about  $5,000  were  collected  for  the  con- 
struction of  said  buildings;  for  the  purchase  of  modern 
school  furnishing  and  the  library  by  Brother  Botulph, 
through  individual  contribution  for  which  purpose  he  made 
several  trips  throughout  all  points  in  the  Territory;  the  rest 

*The  reader  is  reminded  that  said  Church  of  San  Miguel  is  the 
same  built  by  Onate  at  the  beginning-  of  the  seventeenth  century — The 
Author. 


550  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

was  realized  by  means  of  what  the  Brothers  have  been  able 
to  save  from  what  they  collect  for  tuition  fees  for  the 
education  given  by  them  to  their  pupils. 

The  Good  Done  by  the  College. 

The  benefit  which  New  Mexico  has  received  through  the 
education  imparted  by  these  Brothers  is  imponderable. 
Prom  its  halls  thousands  of  young  men  have  come  forth  who 
have  done  honor  to  the  college;  have  done  honor  to  New 
Mexico,  and  are  a  credit  to  Archbishop  Lamy,  his  worthy 
successors  in  the  Archiepiscopate,  and,  in  no  small  degree, 
to  all  and  each  of  the  good  Brothers  who,  by  means  of  their 
valuable  services,  have  left  imperishable  memories  in  thous- 
ands of  grateful  hearts,  among  which,  is  found  that  of  the 
humblest  of  them,  the  author  of  this  work,  who  avails 
himself  of  this  opportunity  to  manifest  his  profound  grati- 
tude to  the  Most  Illustrious  Archbishop  Lamy.  in  the  first 
place,  and  to  his  never  to  be  forgotten  teachers,  the  Christian 
Brothers. 

Silver  Jubilee. 

On  October  29th,  1884,  the  college  celebrated  the  Silver 
Jubilee  or  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  its  existence,  and 
on  the  days  19th,  20th  and  21st  of  the  month  of  .Tune,  1909,  it 
celebrated  its  Golden  Jubilee,  or  the  fiftieth  year  of  its 
existence.  The  celebration  in  October,  1884,  was  confined  to 
a  musical  feast  by  the  college  band,  pontifical  mass  cele- 
brated by  his  Lordship,  Archbishop  J.  B.  Salpointe,  said 
prelate  pronouncing  at  the  same  time  a  most  tender  and 
pathetic  allocution  on  the  establishment  of  the  college  and  on 
the  immense  benefit  received  by  the  people  of  New  Mexico 
through  the  same:  the  days'  celebration  closing  with  evening 
ceremonies,  a  feature  of  them  being  a  great  display  of 
fireworks. 

Golden  Jubilee. 

To  the  author  of  this  work,  the  days  19,  20  and  21  of  June, 
1909,  are  the  days  of  the  most  grateful  remembrance  in  his 
life,  as  during  those  three  days  in  the  company  of  hundreds 
of  his  schoolmates,  all  of  them  already  advanced  in  years,  he 
was  able  to  contribute  his   mite  in  giving  splendor  to  the 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOIiY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  .jol 

grand  celebration.  This  is  not  the  place  to  give  full  swing 
to  the  sentiments  and  emotions  which  that  reunion  awakened 
in  the  heart  of  the  author;  the  reader  can  very  readily  imagine 
them.  The  author  will  now  give  the  description  of  said  cele- 
bration by  reproducing  the  programme,  as  published  in 
periodicals  edited  in  English  and  Spanish,  and  some  com- 
ments by  ex-alumni  of  said  college  who  become  the  echo  on 
that  occasion  of  the  sentiments  of  the  great  number  of  the 
Spanish-American  and  Anglo-American  editors  of  New  Mex- 
ico, educated  in  said  college,  and  who  vied  with  each  other  in 
dedicating  phrases,  pregnant  with  gratitude,  in  praise  of 
their  alma  mater.  From  "El  Independiente""  of  Las  Vegas,  N, 
M.,  July  17,  1909,  we  reproduce  what  follows: 

"The  following  is  the  programme  observed  on  the  days  19th, 
20th,  and  "ilst  of  June,  1909: 

June  19th. 

"The  reception  committee  receives  the  outside  alumni  at 
the  depot,  at  1:20  o'clock  p.  m.  Annual  reunion  of  the  ex- 
alumni  and  visit  to  the  city  at  3  p.  m.  Base  ball  game — 5  p. 
m.  Reunion  of  the  board  of  directors — 8  p.  m.  Elocution 
contest  by  the  alumni,  actually  students. 

Sunday,  June  20th. 

8:30  a.  m.  Reunion  of  the  old  alumni  at  the  college.  9:00a.  m. 
The  ex-alumni  and  the  present  students  march  to  the  cathe- 
dral with  the  college  band  at  their  head.  9:30  a.  m.  Solemn 
Pontifical  Mass,  His  Lordship,  Archbishop  Pitaval  officiating; 
sermon  by  the  chaplain  of  the  college,  Rev.  Jules  Deraches. 
11:30a.m.  Thestudents  giveareceptiontotheoldalumni.  12:30 
p.  m, Refreshments  after  the  old  style  of  the  college.  1:30  p.m. 
Reunion  of  the  old  alumni  in  which  addresses  were  delivered. 
5:15  p.  m.  Benediction  of  the  Holy  Sacrament  at  the  College 
Chapel.  6  p.  m.  Reception  banquet  in  the  teaching  hall. 
t):15  p.  m.  Reception  to  Most  Illustrious  J.  B.  Pitaval,  where 
he  is  welcomed  by  the  governor  of  New  Mexico. 

Monday,  June  21st. 

9:30  a.  m.  Requiem  Mass  at  the  college  chapel  for  the  dead 
members  of  the  faculty,  the  old   students,  and   the   bene- 


552  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

factors  of  the  college.  Celebrant,  Rev.  G.  H.  Dougherty; 
sermon,  by  Rev.  A,  Fourchegu.  11:30  a.  m.  Reunion  of  the 
board  of  directors  and  the  organization  of  the  association 
of  the  college  ex-alumni.  2:20  p.  m.  Annual  examination 
exercises  presided  over  by  his  Lordship,  Archbishop  Pitaval. 
Address  to  the  graduates  by  ex-alumnus,  Nestor  Montoya. 
8  p.  m.  Reception  to  the  old  alumni  and  their  families  by  the 
governor  of  the  Territory.  Address  of  welcome  by  the 
mayor  of  the  city. 

Gamilo  Padilla—  Revista  Ilustrada. 

The  preceding  programme  was  literally  carried  out.  The 
"Alumni  Association''  was  organized  with  Frank  A.  Hubbell 
presiding  officer,  a  secretary,  a  treasurer,  and  an  executive 
committee  composed  of  one  ex-alumni  member  from  each 
county  in  the  Stale.  We  give  below  the  comments  made  by  Mr. 
Camillo  Padilla,  editor  of  "La  Revista  Ilustrada,''  of  El  Paso, 
Texas,  an  ex-alumnus  of  the  college,  and,  not  to  be  lavish, 
we  will  say  that  the  expressions  of  Mr.  Padilla  represented 
the  spirit  of  the  other  editors,  ex-alumni,  Don  Nestor  Mon- 
toya of  "La  Bandera  Americana,'"  and  of  the  other  news- 
papers of  New  Mexico.  In  his  "Revista  Ilustrada,"'  third 
year,  numbers  4  and  5,  after  giving  a  sketch  of  the  college, 
Mr.  Padilla  says: 

"Few  establishments  of  public  instruction  can  count  in  the 
pages  of  their  history  such  anniversaries  of  their  foundation, 
as  that  which  St.  Michael's  College  of  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  is 
going  to  commemorate  on  the  lyth,  20th  and  21st  of  June  of 
the  current  year. 

"St.  Michael's  College  was  founded  tifty  years  ago  by  the 
Brothers  of  the  Christian  Doctrine  and  from  that  remote 
epoch  the  institution  has  progressed  in  an  astounding  man- 
ner, several  generations  having  passed  through  its  halls,  not 
only  of  New  Mexico,  but  of  many  points  in  other  States  of 
the  Union. 

The  most  exalted  personages  in  the  politics,  sciences,  arts 
and  industries  of  the  Territory  (now  State)  spent  the  years 
of  their  childhood  in  that  establishment  of  instruction  where 
they  drank  from    the   well-spring  of  the  wisdom  of  their 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  553 

teacliers,  the  gallant  science  which  raised  them  to  the  high- 
est positions  in  New  Mexico. 

"Today  there  is  not  a  single  individual  of  our  most  con- 
spicuous politicians,  of  our  most  able  bankers,  of  our  ablest 
men  who  has  not  been  an  alumnus  of  that  important  center 
of  instruction  where  they  learned  how  to  make  the  struggle 
lor  existence;  where  all  obstacles  are  overcome;  where  they 
fitted  themselves  to  triumph  on  every  line."     *     *     * 

Said  editor,  after  mentioning  the  names  of  several  gentle- 
men, prominent  in  the  civic  world,  all  of  them  ex-alumni  of 
the  college,  and,  after  dedicating  a  few  tender  phrases  in 
^'remembrance"  of  the  event,  closes  with  these  words: 

"The  director  of  this  "Revista",  also  an  alumnus  of  that 
prolific  alma  mater,  the  least,  perhaps,  that  has  come  out 
from  among  that  nide,  desires  to  make  present,  through 
these  brief  lines,  a  cherished  remembrance  to  the  grand 
Spanish-American  institution  which  commemorates  today 
the  beautiful  anniversary  of  its  "golden  jubilee." 

Monument  to  Brother  Botulph. 

The  celebration  of  the  jubilee  closed  with  the  approval  of  a 
resolution  which  left  in  the  hands  of  a  committee  of  ex- 
alumni  of  the  college  under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr.  Flavio 
Silva,  the  erection  of  a  marble  monument  in  honor  of  the 
Benemeritus  Brother  Botulph.  The  monument  was  made  of 
the  best  Carrara  marble  and  dedicated  with  unusual  and 
splendid  ceremonies  at  Santa  Pe,  on  the  22nd  of  June,  A.  D., 
1911. 

Besides  the  college  at  Santa  F^,  the  Christian  Brothers 
have  maintained  for  many  years  branch  colleges  at  Mora, 
Las  Vegas  and  Bernalillo,  scattering  throughout  all  those 
places  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  human  and  divine 
science. 

Before  beginning  the  history  of  education,  in  the  public 
schools,  it  is  but  just  to  give  due  credit  to  other  denominations 
which,  like  the  Catholic  church,  have  also  done  whatever  has 
been  in  their  power,  to  maintain  schools  in  New  Mexico  for 
the  benefit  of  their  co-religionaries.  The  ineludible  duty, 
however,  still  presses  upon  us  of  making  mention  of  another 


! 


Bi-otlu 


(1,  President  Siiint  Mk-hnel's  College. 


Brother  Edward  has  l)een  President  of  Saint  Michael's  College  since 
1!)11,  and  has  been  a  Christain  Brother  since  he  became  '21  years  of 
age.  Brother  Edward  immiu;Tated  to  America  in  his  early  youth  from 
Germany,  received  his  education  in  Ohio.  Taught  school  chiefly  in 
Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  St.  Joseph.  Mo.,  and  prior  to  his  coming 
to  New  Mexico  was  principal  of  St.  Vincent's  High  School,  St.  Louis, 
Missouri. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  OUO 

priest  and  another  prelate,  who,  though  they  did  not  do  as 
muchas  Archbishop  Lamy  in  the  development  of  education  in 
a  general  sense,  they  certainly  have  done  so  in  another  vvay. 
Notwithstanding  the  great  number  of  schools  with  which 
the  Capital  of  New  Mexico  is  endowed,  (for  it  has  in  addition 
to  the  College  of  the  Brothers  and  the  Academy  of  the 
Sisters  of  Loretto,  a  great  educational  institution  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  Indians,  establislied  by  the  federal  Government; 
another  school  of  the  same  kind,  Catholic  in  faith,  in  charge 
of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Catherine;  several  schools  of  the  Pro- 
testant denominations,  a  school  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of 
Charity  for  the  Orphans,  and  five  public  schools)  all  of  that 
notwithstanding,  another  school  was  lacking,  for  the  benefit 
of  Catholic  children  that  could  not  attend  the  above  mentioned 
Catholic  schools  of  the  city  on  account  of  said  schools  being 
overcrowded,  so  that  an  additional  school  was  built.  Of  that 
school  we  shall  speak  now. 

Parochial  Schools. 
In  1892,  the  Most  Illustrious  Archbishop  J.  B.  Salpointe 
established  in  Santa  Fe  three  Parochial  schools,  and  in  1893 
he  placed  them  under  the  charge  of  the  Vicar  General,  now 
Monsignor,  Antonio  Fourchegii  with  whom.  Father  James 
H.  Defouri,  deceased,  (may  he  rest  in  peace)  did  heartily  co- 
operate by  opening  two  schools  for  the  children  of  the 
cathedral  and  for  the  children  of  the  parish  of  Guadalupe,  to 
which  nearly  300  children  attended.  These  schools  were 
discontinued,  temporarily,  for  lack  of  funds,  the  schools  of 
both  parishes  being  obliged,  later  on,  to  consolidate  into  a 
single  one  under  the  charge  and  responsibilty  of  said  Vicar 
Fourchegii  who  kept  them  open  with  two  sisters  as  teachers, 
where  only  female  children  were  taught,  with  a  salary  of 
§40.00  per  month,  each,  until  the  year  1903,  when  he,  acting 
under  the  instructions,  and  with  the  financial  aid  of  Arch- 
bishop Bourgade,  then  Archbishop  of  Santa  F6,  and  others 
erected  a  modern  adobe  school  house  at  the  cost  of  $5,000.00, 
and  furnished  it  withall  necessary  and  modern  school  utensils. 
This  done  the  Parochial  school  of  the  parish  of  the  cathedral 
became  a  permanent  institution  with  an  attendance  of  240 
pupils,  of  both  sexes,  and  in  charge  of  five  sisters.     In  1907, 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  55/ 

Father  Fourchegii,  acting  under  the  authority,  and  with  the 
financial  aid  of  the  Archbishop,  erected,  at  the  same  place 
and  joining  the  former  building  (both  buildings  being  close 
to  the  cathedral,)  a  larger  edifice,  built  of  brick,  two  stories 
high,  at  the  cost  of  $12,000.00,  and  installed,  also,  a  heating 
plant  costing  $1,000.00,  besides  the  necessary  furnishings^ 
which  alone  cost  $1,530.00.  The  attendance  at  the  present 
date  (1912)  being  about  600,  of  both  sexes,  taught  by  seven 
sisters.  To  cover  the  expenses  of  salaries,  etc.,  a  small  sum 
is  paid  for  the  tuition  by  the  parents  of  the  children. 

Besides  the  Parochial  school  just  mentioned,  the  Jesuit 
Fathers  have,  since  many  years  past,  constructed  a  very 
expensive  Parochial  school  in  Old  Albuquerque,  which  is 
a  modern  and  an  up-to-date  school  in  every  respect.  For 
details  regarding  this  institution  the  reader  is  referred  to 
that  part  of  this  work  referring  to  the  Jesuit  Fathers. 

Public  School  System. 

The  public  school  system  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico 
has  been  already  presented  to  the  reader  from  its  origin  to 
the  time  in  which  the  territorial  legislature  passed  its  first 
laws  for  its  establishment.  In  accordance  with  the  law  in 
force  at  present,  the  public  schools  of  New  Mexico  are  in 
charge  of  the  following  otficers:  A  committee,  or  State  Board 
of  Education  consisting  of  five  members,  who  are  the  gov- 
ernor, the  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  and  five 
additional  members,  appointed  by  the  governor,  he,  the  gov- 
ernor, selecting  the  presidents  of  state  educational  institu- 
tions. This  body  divides  the  public  funds  of  the  general 
treasury  among  the  several  counties;  prepares  the  regula- 
tions for  conducting  the  examinations  of  teachers  who  apply 
for  certificates,  selects  the  text  books  for  the  public  schools. 
The  governor  is  the  ex-officio  president  of  the  board,  and  the 
superintendent,  the  ex-officio  secretary  of  the  same. 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 
The  superintendent  of  public  instruction  is,  truly,  the  offi- 
cial who  has  the  active  charge  and  management  of  the  public 
schools  in  New  Mexico.     The  governor  had  to  appoint  every 
two  years  under  the  territorial  law  the  superintendent,  with. 


558  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

the  consent  and  approval  of  the  legislative  council,  but  now 
the  said  official  is  elected  by  the  people  like  the  otherstate  offi- 
cers. The  duties  of  said  superintendent  are  to  make  trips  of 
inspection  to  the  different  counties  of  Nev^  Mexico,  to  look 
after  the  institutes,  or  normal  schools  for  teachers;  to  pre- 
pare the  courses  of  study  that  must  be  observed  in  the 
normal  institutes  of  the  counties  and  in  the  public  schools  of 
the  state,  to  keep  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  state 
board,  and  such  other  duties  as  are  prescribed  by  law. 

County  School  Superintendent- 
There  is  elected  in  each  county  by  popular  vote  a  superin- 
tendent under  whose  charge  are  all  the  public  schools  of  his 
county,  subject,  however,  to  the  State  superintendent. 
The  county  superintendent  has  charge  of  the  school  fund  of 
his  county,  makes  the  distribution  of  same  in  the  different 
districts  of  his  county  and  is  responsible  for  the  government 
of  the  schools  of  his  county  tc  the  state  board. 

School  Districts   and  Municipalities. 

Every  county  is  divided  into  school  districts;  those  districts 
have  legal  existence  by  virtue  and  effect  of  the  law  which 
declares  them  to  be  legal  corporations,  all  having  the  powers, 
faculties  and  responsibilities  corresponding  to  said  institu- 
tions. In  each  district  there  are  three  directors,  one  of  them 
being  the  presiding  officer,  a  treasurer  and  a  secretary.  The 
county  school  superintendent  is  the  superior  officer  to  whom 
said  boards  of  school  directors  are  subject.  In  the  munici- 
palities, incorporated  cities  and  towns,  there  is  a  board  of 
education  in  charge  of  the  schools  of  the  municipality. 
The  people  also  elect  the  members  of  these  bodies,  and  they 
have  their  president,  secretary  and  treasurer.  There  is  in 
each  municipality  a  superintendent  of  the  schools  of  the 
municipality  whose  duties  are,  more  or  less,  the  same  as 
those  of  the  county  school  superintendent. 

Number  of  Students  and  Condition  of  Funds. 
According  to  the  school  census  taken  in  1910,  there  are 
over  93,815  persons,  boys  and  girls,  of  school  age  from  (5  to 
21  years  of  age).     Of  this  number  42,280  were  enrolled  in  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  559 

public  schools  of  New  Mexico  at  the  close  of  the  school  year 
in  June,  1910.  Of  the  42,385  pupils,  21,768  were  Anglo- 
Americans;  20,397  Spanish-Americans,  and  101  of  African 
race.  At  the  end  of  June,  1910,  there  was  in  the  treasury, 
the  sum  of  |il94,22-1.94,  that  sum  increasing  the  next  year  to 
$585,445.05.  A  large  portion  of  that  money  comes  into  the 
treasury  from  the  taxes  paid  by  the  people,  and  the  other 
part  from  what  was  realized  from  the  public  lands  through  the 
agencies  of  the  federal  government,  and  now  through  the 
State. 

Sectarian  Private  Schools. 

The  different  sectarian  denominations  have  schools  in 
almost  all  points  of  the  State  distributed  among  the  coun- 
ties, cities,  towns  and  villages.  According  to  the  last  official 
statistics,  Mr.  J.  E.  Clark,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion, in  his  report  corresponding  to  the  loth  ofJune,  1908,  says: 

"The  reports  of  these  schools  {sectarian  private  schools) 
are  not  complete,  but  we  see  by  them  that  there  are  1,127 
pupils  enrolled  in  mission  schools,  and  2,181  pupils  in  other 
schools  which  are  not  designated  as  mission  schools.  In  the 
Government  Indian  schools,  we  have  1,626  pupils  enrolled.'" 

Besides  the  schools  mentioned  in  the  preceding  para- 
graphs we  have  only  the  State  educational  institutes  left  to 
mention.     They  are  the  following: 

Pedagogic  Institutes  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico. 
A  university  at  the  city  of  Albuquerque  under  the  charge 
of  five  regents — a  school  of  agriculture  and  mechanic  arts 
at  Las  Cruces  with  an  equal  number  of  regents — a 
Normal  school  at  Silver  City — another  of  the  same  nature  at 
Las  Vegas,  each  with  five  regents— a  mineralogical  school  at 
Socorro — a  deaf  and  dumb  college  at  Santa  Fe — and  another 
for  the  blind  at  Alamogordo — an  orphan  asylum  at  Belen — 
a  military  academy  at  Roswell  —a  penal  and  reform  school  at 
Springer  for  criminal  young  men — and  another,  the  Spanish- 
American  normal  school,  very  recently  established  by 
chapter  97  of  the  laws  of  1909,  the  author  of  that  law  being 
the  Hon.  L.  Bradford  Prince,  who  on  thatyear,  wasa  member 
of  the  Senate.  That  school  was  established  at  El  Rito,  county 
of  Rio  Arriba.     The  school  was  opened  for  the  first  time  in 


560  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP    NEW    MEXICO. 

September,  1909,  with  very  limited  resources,. yet,  through  the 
untiring  efforts  of  its  board  of  regents,  Messrs.  L;  Bradford 
Prince,  Venceslao  Jaramillo,  Malaquias  Martinez,"  J.  H. 
Sloan,  and  Squire  Hartt,  it  has  had  an  unexpected  success, 
for  the  first  school  term  of  the  year  1912,  there  were  50 
scholars,  of  both  sexes. 

Additional  Funds. 

Besides  the  amounts  that  enter  into  the  treasury  from  the 
collection  of  taxes,  as  we  have  already  said,  the  schools  and 
educational  institutions  already  mentioned  receive,  according 
to  the  last  annual  report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public 
Lands  of  the  State,  the  following  sums  as  proceeds  from  the 
sales  and  leases  of  the  public  lands  of  the  State  to-wit:  The 
general  public  school  fund  received,  $5,929.95;  the  Univer- 
sity, $2,758.84;  the  Agricultural  College,  $1,383.70;  the  two 
Normal  Colleges,  $1,619.03;  the  Mineralogical  School,  $647.42; 
Military  Academy,  $752.58;  the  Reform  School,  $808.32;  the 
College  for  the  Blind,  $836.97;  the  College  for  the  Deaf  and 
Dumb,  $575.00. 

Indian  Schools. 

There  are  in  the  State  25  [ndian  schools,  besides  those  we 
have  already  enumerated,  in  charge  of  the  general  govern- 
ment, in  which  instruction  is  given  in  reading  and  writing, 
arts  and  trades,  to  1933  pupils,  boys  and  girls. 

Recapitulation. 
There  are  in  the  State  over  1,000  public  schools,  in  which 
are  enrolled  50,000  pupils.  There  are  66  sectarian  schools, 
with  5,000  pupils,  18  private  schools,  with  288  pupils.  The 
value  of  all  the  scholastic  institutions,  as  calculated  by  the 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  of  the  State  is  nearly 
$1,000,000, and  the  annual  expenditures  reach  up  to  $275,000. 
The  Federal  schools  for  the  Indians  represent  a  value  of 
$2,036,073.  The  sectarian  and  Catholic  schools  represent  a 
value  of  $300,000. 

Penal  and  Other  Kinds  of  Institutions. 

The  State  has,  besides  the  institutions  already  noted,  the 
following;  a  penitentiary,  a  hospital  for  sick  miners,  an 
insane   asylum,  which  institutions   receive,   in    addition    to 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  561 

what  belongs  to  them  from  tiie  State  treasury,  out  of  the 
sales  and  lease  of  the  State  lands,  the  following  suras, 
namely:  The  hospital  for  sick  miners  $1,101.41';  the  peni- 
tentiary $155,45;  the  insane  asylum,  $638.87;  the  Capitol 
building,  $1,250.34. 

Counties  in  the  State. 

The  State  of  New  Mexico  is  composed  of  the  following 
counties:  Bernalillo,  Cliaves,  Colfax,  Curry,  Dofia  Ana,  Eddy, 
Grant,  Guadalupe,  Lincoln,  Luna,  McKinley,  Mora,  Otero, 
Quay,  Kio  Arriba,  Roosevelt,  Sandoval,  San  Juan,  San  Miguel, 
Santa  F^,  Sierra,  Socorro,  Taos,Torrance,  Union,  and  Valencia. 

Population  of  New  Mexico  in  Different  Epochs,  According  to  the  Dif' 
ferent  Census  of  Which  There  is  an  Official  Record. 

According  to  the  census  taken^  by  order  of  Governor 
Cubero  in  the  year  1697,  there  were  only  1500  Spaniards  in 
New  Mexico  that  year.  *  (ante) 

In  1750 — (according  to  Bancroft,)  the  population  was: 
Spaniards  3,779;  Indians,  15,921. 

In  1789 — The  population,  according  to  census  ordered  by 
Governor  de  la  Concha  in  that  year,  was:  Spaniards,  16,059; 
Indians,  8,806.— Total  24,865. 

In  1827 — The  population  according  to  the  census,  made  in 
that  year  by  order  of  Governor  Antonio  Narbona,  including 
Spaniards  and  Indians. f 

Farmers 6,588 

Mechanics 1,236 

Merchants 93 

Surgeons 1 

School  Teachers 17 

Day  laborers ...   2,475 

Cur^s  (Priests) 17 

Bachelors 13,409 

Maidens 13,109 

Married  Men 7,677 

Married  Women   7,677 

Widowers 713 

Widows 854 

Total 53,866 

*  Seep.  p.  90,  172,  221,  230,  244,  252,  274,  278,  300,  342,  459,  4G2,  (i42. 

723— Bancroft's  "Hist  of  Ariz.,  and  New  Me.x." 

t  Pino:  "'Noticias  Historicas,"  p.  57— (num.  4)  Nota  de   Barriero. 


562  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

In  1840 — According  to  the  census  ordered  by  General 
Manuel  Armijo  in  that  year,  the  population  was,  including 
Indians  and  Spaniards:*" 

Men.      Women. 

First  District 17,227     15,898 

Second  District 11,013     10,566 

Total 28,240     26,464 

Grand  Total 54,704 

In  1850 — Governor  John  Monroe,  under  the  American 
government,  for  the  purpose  of  the  legislative  apportionment, 
ordered  a  census  to  be  taken,  excluding  the  Indians,  vi^hich 
was  done  with  the  following  result:  + 

Counties.  Population. 

Taos 11,683 

Rio  Arriba £,946 

Santa  Fe 7,701 

San  Miguel 7.563 

Santa  Ana ...  6,444 

Bernalillo 6,663 

Valencia 5,917 

Socorro 5,067 

Total 60,984  I 

In  1860 — The  population  was  the  following: 

Natives 73,856 

From  other  states ....  1 , 1 68 

Foreigners   5,479 

Total 80,503 

Or  an  increase  in  ten  years  of  19,519  inhabitants. 


In  1870— Total,  90,573 


*  Pino:     "Noticias  Historicas,''  p.  55— Nota  de  Barriero. 
t  "Bulletin  from  the  Gazette,"'  Santa  Fe,  April  2(i,  1851. 
X  Thoug-h  that  was  the  i)opulati()n  according-  to  the  official  census, 
Helen  Haines.  "Hist,  of  New  Me.x.,'"  tells  us  that  it  was  in  1850—61,547. 
i.  Bancroft's  "Hist  of  Ariz,  and  New  Me.x."  p.  ~2'.i. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  563 

In  1880— (Census)— Foreiojners 8,948 

Natives 100,773 

Civilized  Indians    9,772 

Total 119,493 

In  1890— Natives 119,320 

Foreigners 12,539 

Civilized  Indians 8,554 

Total 140,413 

In  1900— (Census)— Total,  193,777.* 

In  1910 — According  to  the  official  census  taken  during  the 
year  1910,  the  population  of  New  Mexico  reached  the  figure 
of  327,695,  or,  an  increase  of  133,919  in  ten  years.  The  popu- 
lation by  counties  in  the  year  1910,  according  to  said  official 
census,  is  the  following:  Bernalillo,  23,606;  Chaves,  16,850; 
Colfax,  16,480;  Curry,  12,400;  Dona  Ana,  12,893;  Eddy,  12,400; 
Grant,  14,813;  Guadalupe,  10,927;  Lincoln,  7,822;  Luna,  3,913; 
Mora,  12,6.11;  McKinley,  12,963;  Otero,  7,069;  Quay,  14,912; 
Rio  Arriba,  16,719;  Roosevelt,  12,064;  San  Miguel,  22,930; 
Santa  F6,  14,770;  Socorro,  14,761;  Sierra,  3,526;  San  Juan, 
8,504;  Sandoval,  8,578;  Taos,  12,008;  Torrance,  10,119;  Union, 
4,528;  Valencia,  13, 320. f 

In  the  said  number  —327,695 — the  population  of  the  Indians 
of  the  state  is  included.  That  population  according  to 
information  given  to  the  author  of  this  work  by  Mr.  C.  J. 
Crandall,  Indian  agent  at  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  in  September, 
1910,  reaches  the  figures  18,000, divided  in  the  following  man- 
ner: Pueblo  Indians,  9,000;  Apaches,  1,500;  Navajoes,  7,500; 
Total,  18,000. 

In  the  next  chapter  we  shall  treat  in  detail  of  the  economi- 
cal conditions  of  New  Mexico  from  the  beginning  of  her 
civilization  to  this  day. 

*  Pac.     Stat.  Pub.  Go's.  "Hist,  of  New  Me.x."  Vol.  1,  p.  1()3. 
t  Taken  from  the  official  bulletin  published  in  the  New  Mexican  of 
Santa  F^.  on  the  r,th  of  October,  1910. 


CHAPTER  XL 

History  of  the  Commerce  and  Economical  Condition  of  New  Mexico  From 
the  First  Times  of  its  History  to  the  Year  1812,  as  Written  by  Don 
Pedro  Bautista  Pino,  as  Included  in  His  ''Historical  Notes  and 
Statistics  of  the  Old  Province  of  New  Mexico,"  Which  he  Pre- 
sented to  the  Cortes  of  Spain,  at  Cadiz,  in  the  Year  1812,  to 
Which  is  Added  an  "Addition"  by  Antonio  Barreiro  in  1839  and 
Another  Addition  by  Jose  Agustin  de  Escudero  both  from  Mexico, 
in  1843,  all  of  Which  is  Found  From  Page  71  to  Page  82  Inclu- 
sive of  Said  "Historical  Notes  and  Statistics"  of  Said  Don  Pedro 
Bautista  Pino,  and  the  Statistics  From  1843  to  1912 — Commerce 
Under  the  American  Government — Corporations — Banking — The 
Santa  Fe  Trail — Historical  Society — Archaeological  School — Other 
Incidents.  

As  the  author  considers  the  narratives  of  Pino,  Barreiro, 
and  Escudero  invested  with  an  official  character,  and  from 
persons  who  are  trustworthy  and  of  great  ability,  and  who 
had  necessarily  full  knowledge  of  the  commercial  conditions 
of  New  Mexico  at  those  times,  has  resolved  to  give  the 
information  and  statistics  such  as  they  were  given  by  Pino, 
Barreiro  and  Escudero,*  thus  giving  the  reader  the  original 
information,  the  source  itself. 

History  shows  us  that  up  to  the  epoch  in  which  Mr.  Pino 
presented  his  "Historical  Notes,"  in  Cadiz,  the  commerce  of 
New  Mexico  was  not  developed  to  a  great  extent;  that  her 
merchants  depended  almost  completely  from  Chihuahua  for 
the  importation  of  their  goods  which  they  were  wont  to 
import  by  overcoming  great  obstacles  and  suffering  innum- 
erable sacrifices.  Nothing  is  said  by  Pino  concerning 
Lalande,  the  first  foreign  merchant  who  came  to  New  Mexico, 
in  1804.     That  omission  cannot  be  explained,  for  on  that  year 

*  The  author  of  this  work  owes  such  valuable  information  to 
Attorney  Kusebio  Chacon,  of  Trinidad.  Colo.,  (formerly  of  New 
Mexico)  the  possessor  of  Pino's  "Historical  Notes"  a  very  marked 
favor,  which  said  Mr.  Chtk-on  undeservedly  made  to  this  author  for 
the  l)enefit  of  history. 


illustuat^:d  history  of  new  Mexico.  565 

Pino  was  in  Santa  F6.  Tlie  system  and  method  used  by  the 
Santa  F6  merchants  to  import  their  merchandise  is  given  to 
us  by  Pino  in  these  words. 

Route  to  Chihuahua. 

"Experience  has  shown,  tliat  the  ordinary  precautions 
taken,  to  cover,  without  any  danger,  40  days'  journeys, 
through  deserts,  until  reaching  the  nearest  province.  Chi- 
huahua, are  not  sufficient.  It  has  become  necessary  to 
arrange  that  most  annoying  voyage  in  the  following  manner. 
At  43  leagues  from  the  Capital,  at  the  stopping  place  named 
"Joya  de  Sevilleta,'' the  parties  interested  in  the  journey, 
have  to  meet  by  the  latter  part  of  November,  with  their 
train  loads,  fire-arms,  ammunitions,  arrows,  shields,  horses, 
etc.  Everything  is  reviewed;  and  if  the  number  of  500  men, 
and  over,  is  complete,  the  vanguard  is  selected,  who  must 
alternate,  in  the  trip,  as  the  vanguard,  also  the  rearguard, 
and  the  center  guard  are  named;  those  who  must  care  for  the 
horses  and  mules;  those  who  must  act  as  sentinels  (generally 
over  a  hundred;)  the  scouts,  who  cleave  their  ears  to  the 
ground  on  dark  nights  to  give  notice  if  they  hear  or  feel  any 
footsteps,  and  thus  avoid  the  surprises  which  they 
occasionally  suffer.  As  regards  the  provisions  needed,  they 
consist  of  over  600  fanegas  of  flour  made  into  toasted  bread 
called  "biscocho."'  More  than  a  hundred  head  of  cattle  are 
killed  and  made  into  dry  pounded  meat,  150  fanegas  of  corn 
(called  pinole),  a  corresponding  quantity  of  beans,  chick-pea, 
some  mutton,  also  a  goodly  supply  of  barrels  for  hauling 
water  in  the  desert  places,  like  the  one  called  "Del  Muerto," 
of  more  than  90  miles  without  water.  All  these  preparations 
have  not  at  times  sufficed  for  the  caravans  to  escape  the 
snares  of  their  enemies." 

Pino,  next,  cites  the  sum  total  of  the  merchandise  imported 
annually  from  Asia,  America  and  Europe,  on  an  average,  as 
it  appears  in  a  "report  given  in  1804,  to  the  consulate  at 
Veracruz"  of  what  Mr.  Pino  calls,  "Passive  Commerce.*' 

"Goods  from   Europe  valued  at $  61,000  00 

Idem   from  Asia  valued  at 7,000  00 

Idem  from  America  valued   at H4,000  00 

Horsesand  mules  forthe  military  service  10,000  00 

Total $112,000  00" 


566  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Here  Pino  closes,  and  Attorney  D.  Antonio  Barreiro  fol- 
lows with  an  "Addition"  to  what  Pino  says.  Said  "addition"' 
is  a  very  correct  history  of  the  first  foreign  merchants  and  of 
the  introduction  of  American  commerce  into  New  Mexico 
and  Chihuahua,  as  well  as  a  graphic  description  of  the  voyages 
of  the  caravans  and  of  the  courage  and  intrepidity  of  the  first 
merchants  and  adventurers;  of  those  who  followed  them  in 
that  branch,  and  of  how  the  Indians  came  to  declare  them- 
selves enemies  to  the  merchants.  * 

Commerce  With  the  United  States. 

"The  commerce  of  New  Mexico  must  be  considered  under 

three  aspects,  to-wit:  The  foreign  commerce  which  is  carried 

on  with  North  America;  that  carried  on  with  neighboring 

Mexican  states;   and  that  carried  on  within  its  own  interior. 

Description  of  Trip. 

"The  commerce  with  the  United  States  of  North  America 
is  carried  on  by  means  of  regulated  caravans  which  arrive  at 
Santa  Pe  usually  in  July.  These  caravans  consist  of  ninety  or 
one  hundred  wagons  well  loaded  with  goods  and  are  escorted 
by  the  owners  who  select  from  among  themselves  a  leader, 
to  whom  they  render  obedience  on  the  road,  for  they  try,  at 
all  hours,  to  travel  with  the  greatest  precaution  so  as  not  to 
be  surprised  by  the  numberless,  barbarous  and  warlike 
nations  that  roam  over  the  horrid  deserts  lying  between  New 
Mexico  and  Missouri,  along  a  stretch  of  250  leagues.  In  the 
evening  when  the  caravans  have  stopped,  they  form  with  the 
wagons  a  circle  within  which  the  people  and  horses  sleep;  a 
number  of  competent. sentries  are  kept  on  watch  all  night  in 
order  to  tire  on  the  enemy,  in  case  of  need,  and  thus  save 
their  lives  and  property. 

Arrival  at  Santa  Fe. 

"By  July,  as  I  have  said,  they,  generally,  arrive  at  Santa 
F4,  and  this  is  the  occasion  in  which  this  Capital  presents  a 
pleasing  and  interesting  aspect.  Then  numberless  clothing 
stores  are  opened  everywhere:  a  large  number  of  persons  are 
seen  who  come  to  this  city,  which  looks  like  a  fair,  from  El  Paso 

*Pino:  "Noticias  llistoricas,"  p.  72. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  567 

del  Norte,  Sonoraand  from  all  points  of  the  Territory.  This 
is  the  time  all  the  Anglo-American  merchants  return  to  do 
business,  and  then  it  is,  finally,  when  a  very  brisk  traffic  is 
carried  on.  Goods  become  extremely  cheap;  many  mer- 
chants, in  order  to  return  to  the  United  States  in  August, 
sell  at  cost  prices,  practically,  their  surplus,  and  thus  very 
advantageous  purchases  are  made.  Goods  are  sold  for  what 
they  cost  at  Philadelphia  or  Saint  Louis  with  scarcely  a 
protit  of  80,  90  or  100  per  cent,  and  they  are  also  wont  to  be 
sold  with  only  a  50  per  cent.  These  reckless,  cheap  sales 
have  ruined  many  merchants,  for  their  losses  are  from  thirty 
to  forty  thousand  dollars,  as  per  calculation,  the  losses  of 
the  company  that  came  in  the  year  1831,  amounting  to  that 
sum. 

Return  Trip. 

"By  the  month  of  August,  the  caravans  return,  only  those 
merchants  remaining  who  are  interested  in  beaver  hunting 
from  which  considerable  exportations  are  made. 

"As  the  exportation  is  not  subject  to  national  tax-duties, 
the  American  merchants  on  their  return,  endeavor  to  carry 
beaver  instead  of  money,  they  getting  thus  two  advantages: 
First  that  of  not  paying  duty  for  exporting  money,  and 
secondly,  that  of  carrying  to  their  country  an  article  which 
is  there  of  much  value  to  them,  and  which  is  not  burdened 
by  anything. 

Origin  of  Caravans,  1831. 

"These  caravans  had  their  origin  in  the  year  1831,  when 
some  adventurers  began  to  come  into  New  Mexico;  but, 
gradually,  companies  of  men  were  successively  organized, 
until  finally  rich  merchants  came  in  with  large  sums  of 
money  who  initiated  projects  under  another  order  of  things 
different  from  the  freighting  business.  In  order  to  grade  the 
progress  of  this  commerce  the  inserted  statement  may  well 
be  seen,  as  the  considerable  increase  in  excise  taxes,  an- 
nually, will  show  the  balances  resulting  in  this  particular. 

"The  commerce  New  Mexico  carries  on  with  the  neigh- 
boring (Mexican)  states  is  also  worthy  of  attention;  Sonora 
and  Chihuahua  being  sufficiently  supplied  with  the  foreign 
goods    carried    herefrom;    great   benefit    resulting    to    the 


568  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Americans  who  carry  on  that  trade  and  who  bring  a  large 
sum  of  money  which  circulates  in  the  country  both  for  the 
payment  of  the  excise  taxes  on  their  return,  as  well  as  on 
account  of  the  amounts  which  they  expend  in  necessaries 
of  life."  * 

Barreiro  continues  enumerating  the  advantages  which  the 
commerce  of  the  Americans  gave  to  New  Mexico,  Sonora 
and  Chihuahua,  and  follows  up  his  interesting  narrative  con- 
cerning the  large  sales  of  sheep,  wool  and  other  articles 
which  the  New  Mexicans  made  at  Durango.  These  sales 
were  not  of  much  benefit  to  New  Mexico  on  account  of  the 
same  having  been  monopolized  by  a  few  individuals,  as 
Barreiro  states  it,  in  the  following  words: 

Trade  With  Durango. 

"The  New  Mexicans  carry  also  quite  an  active  trade  with  the 
neighboring  States,  for  they  annually  take  out  their  wethers, 
their  hides,  pinon,  heavy  wool  fabrics,  tobacco  and  other 
articles  which  they  sell  at  good  prices.  There  are  individuals 
who  have  contracts  in  Durango,  by  which  they  deliver  annu- 
ally, 15,000  or  more  wethers,  which  when  delivered  brings 
them  the  sum  of  $1.12^  or  more  per  head.  The  wether  busi- 
ness is  monopolized  by  a  small  number  of  persons,  and  so  it 
is  not  considered  of  as  much  benefit  as  that  carried  on  in 
pelts,  heavy  wool  work,  etc.,  because  this  is  more  equally 
distributed  between  all  classes  in  New  Mexico,  specially  in 
the  lowest  and  middle  class.  One  is  certainly  surprised  at 
the  general  spirit  noticed  in  the  New  Mexicans  to  carry  on 
trade  with  the  neighboring  (Mexican)  states,  in  October 
specially,  a  multitude  of  people  is  seen  to  go  out,  and  scatter 
in  all  directions — some  going  to  Chihuahua,  some  to  Tepicor 
Guaymas;  some  even  to  the  fairs  of  Aguascalientes  and  San 
Juan,  some  to  Durango,  and  some,  finally,  as  far  as  the  Cali- 
fornias. 

"The  interior  commerce  of  the  country  is  regular,  and  the 
most  general  way  of  carrying  it  on  is  by  means  of  exchange. 
Wethers  command  a  very  high  price,  even  more  than  money 
when  used  to  buy  the  articles  desired;  to  this  we  must  add 

*  Barreiro:     •' Historical  Notes.'"  of  Pino  p.  73. 


1 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  569 

the  fact  that  this  traffic  is  carried  on  generally  on  credit, 
from  one  year  to  another,  and  even  for  a  longer  time.  I 
have  stated  the  cheapness  of  foreign  goods;  but  the  domestic 
articles,  such  as  chocolate,  rice,  sugar,  oil,  almonds  and 
others  of  this  class  are  very  dear,  and,  on  some  occasions, 
very  scarce,  although  these  articles  are  nearly  always  of  an 
inferior  quality.* 

The  New  Mexicans  had,  too,  considerable  traffic  with  the 
nomadic  tribes.  Their  commerce  with  those  Indians  con- 
sisted of  various  articles,  trinkets,  for  which  they  received, 
in  exchange,  hides  and  pelts  of  good  marketable  value. 
Nevertheless,  the  Mexican  merchants  engaged  in  trading 
with  said  Indians,  could  not  realize  considerable  profits 
from  the  pelts  so  bought  from  the  Indians,  because  of  the 
lack  of  means  of  exportation,  where  that  industry  suffered  a 
great  deal,  and  the  development  of  that  branch  of  commerce 
was  greatly  retarded.  Commenting  on  this  point,  Barriero 
says: 

"Commerce  that  is  now  carried  on  with  savages  should 
also  require  our  attention;  with  vermiUion,  knives,  biscuit, 
bread  toasted  in  the  oven,  awls  and  other  trinkets,  exquisite 
pelts  are  bought,  which  are  sold  to  advantage,  and  which 
could  be  put  to  great  uses  if  the  enlightment  of  the  country 
was  different;  if  there  w'ere  means  for  the  consumption  and 
exportation  of  so  rich  and  abundant  market  currying,  piles 
could  be  taken  out,  at  a  very  small  cost,  that  would  load 
whole  droves.  What  an  immense  field  has  Mexico  open  for 
developing  that  industry!  What  germs  of  prosperity  are 
everywhere  presented  to  us!  Even  those  most  remote  places 
which  are  occupied  b}'  the  savages  invite  us  wnth  precious 
articles,  but  with  which  we  are  as  yet  unacquainted. "'f 

Origin  of  Commerce  With  the  United  States  — 1804. 

Barreiro  now  enters  upon  very  interesting  details  regard- 
ing the  origin  of  the  commerce  between  New  Mexico  and  the 
United  States.  The  narrative  of  that  portion  of  the  history 
of  our  commerce  may  be  said  to  have  sprung  in  the  year  1804. 

*Barreiro  in  "Noticias  Hist."  de  Pino,  p.  73. 
tBarreiro  in  '"Hist.  Not.'"  of  Pino,  pp.  73-  74. 


570  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Advent  of  First  Merchant  from  Illinois — Lalande,  1804. 
In  that  year  a  French  merchant,  named  Lalande,  proceed- 
ing from  Kaskaskia,  State  of  Illinois,  came  to  Santa  Fe,  with 
merchandise  belonging  to  a  rich  merchant  called  William 
Morrison.  Lalande  arrived  in  Santa  Fe,  not  as  a  free 
merchant,  but  as  a  prisoner;  he  had  been  arrested  by  the 
Spanish  authorities  and  was  thus  conducted  to  the  Capital* 
were  he  established  himself  permanently.  Afterwards 
another  foreign  merchant  named  Pursely,  came  in  1805. 

Pike  and  McKnight  and  Glenn. 

The  formal  inland  commerce,  between  Mexico  and  the 
United  States,  according  to  Barreiro,  had  no  known  origin, 
and  rather  seems  to  have  been  the  result  of  a  casualty  than 
that  of  a  premeditated  plan  of  commerce.  No  knowledge 
concerning  it  was  obtained  until  after  Pike  had  made  his 
report.  Jacob  Pursely  then  crossed  the  regions  to  the  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  with  some  Indians,  to  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  the  source  of  the  Platte  river,  in  the  Rocky 
mountains,  and  from  them  learning  of  New  Mexico,  he  started 
with  some  of  them ,  and  arrived  in  Santa  F6  in  1805,  where  he 
remained  for  many  years. 

Lalande  Marries  in  Santa  Fe — His  Death — Barreiro  our  Authority. 
Although,  according  to  Pike,  Pursely  was  the  first  Amer- 
ican who  visited  the  plains  of  the  Spanish  Provinces,  we 
have  seen  that  a  merchant  from  Kaskaskia  had  already  sent 
out,  in  1804,  a  French  criole  named  Lalande  (supra)  to  Santa 
F6  as  the  place  of  his  distination.  The  latter,  unheeding  the 
instructions  he  had  received,  and  cai-eing  only  for  his  own 
interest,  remained  in  the  country  until  his  death,  leaving  a 
large  family  in  Santa  F6  and  considerable  riches.  Pike's 
animated  descriptions  of  the  country's  advantages  caused  an 
expedition  to  start  on  foot  in  1812,  composed  of  several 
Americans,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  one,  McKnight,  who 
followed  the  trail  marked  out  by  Pike.  As  they  thought  that 
they  would  not  need  any  permit  from  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment   to  traverse  th6"  Tferritor"y,"  and  ttiat    the    transit  of 

*  Rancroft:     "Hist,  of  Ariz.,  and  New  Me.xico."  p.  '29. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  o71 

foreigners  would  not  be  exposed  toany  embarassments,  they 
introduced  their  goods,  disregarding  the  rights  of  the 
Mexican  government,  for  which  reason  they  were  arrested  a& 
spies,  and  were  sent  as  prisoners,  to  Chihuahua,  where  they 
remained  until  the  year  1821,  when  they  were  set  at  liberty 
and  allowed  to  return  home.  The  news  carried  by  them,  on 
their  return  induced  others  to  undertake  a  hke  expedition, 
among  whose  number  was  one  named  Glenn,  an  Ohio  mer- 
chant, who,  after  suffering  many  privations  and  overcoming 
numberless  obstacles,  arrived  in  Santa  F6  in  the  same 
year,  1821. 

Becknell  Follows — 1821. 

In  the  same  year,  Becknell,  also  a  merchant,  accompanied 
by  four  adventurers  left  the  the  town  of  Franklin,  Missouri, 
en  route  for  Santa  Fe,  where  he  sold  at  a  good  price  the  few 
goods  he  had  brought  with  him,  returning  alone  to  the 
United  States  the  next  year.  Up  to  that  date  the  commerce 
of  New  Mexico  had  been  carried  on  with  the  Mexican  pro- 
vinces in  the  interior  by  way  of  Veracruz,  but  at  such  high 
prices  that  a  yard  of  common  calico  was  worth  two  dollars. 

Cooper  Visits  Taos — 1822. 

Next  came  Cooper  and  his  sons,  accompanied  by  15  others, 
headed  for  Taos,  with  some  four  thousand  dollars  in  mer- 
chandise, which  they  conveyed  on  horses,  and  arrived  at  their 
place  of  destination  without  any  remarkable  occurrence 
during  the  summer  of  the  year  1822. 

Becknell  Returns  to  New  Mexico. 

Becknell,  with  thirty  others,  and  with  considerable  mer- 
chandise, amounting  to  $50,000.00,  made  another  expedition, 
to  New  Mexico,  in  lo22,  shortly  after  Colonel  Cooper,  though 
with  different  success,  for  wishing  to  shorten  the  road,  he  got 
into  the  deserts  situated  between  the  Arkansas  and  Cimar- 
ron rivers  without  any  other  guide  than  a  magnetic  compass, 
nor  any  more  water  than  what  he  could  carr.^  along  himself. 
When  the  water  gave  out  they  suffered  such  privations  that 
they  had  to  kill  their  dogs  and  cut  off  the  ears  of  their  mules 
to  appease  their  thirst  with  the  blood  of  these  animals.     Not 


572  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

knowing  the  proximity  at  which  they  were  to  the  Ciraar- 
ron  river,  they  resolved  to  tu  rn  back  to  the  Arkansas,  in  which 
voyage  they  would  have  perished  if  the  sight  of  a  buffalo 
had  not  made  them  conscious  that  water  was  close  by.  This 
circumstance  caused  some  of  them  to  go  in  search  of  it,  and 
on  finding  it,  carried  some  to  the  others  who  thus  refreshed, 
were  able  to  continue  their  route  along  the  Arkansas  till  they 
reached  Taos  where  they  arrived  without  any  other  difficulty 
to  surmount.* 

Commerce  With  United  States  Enhanced,  1822 — Wagons  Used. 

In  the  year  1822,  the  commerce  between  New  Mexico  and 
the  United  States  was  greatly  enhanced,  because  in  that  year 
wagons  began  to  be  used;  this  circumstance  gave  consider, 
able  impulse  to  the  trade  between  the  two  countries.  On 
that  same  year  the  savage  Indians  initiated  the  series  of 
incursions  and  attacks  on  the  caravans,  which  lasted  for 
many  years.  Barreiro  charges  the  merchants  with  the 
blame  and  cause  of  the  breaking  of  the  hostilities  with  the 
the  Indians.     On  that  point  Barreiro  says: 

Merchants  Cause  of  Indian  Wars. 

"Prom  the  year  1822,  the  commerce  of  Santa  F6,  so  to 
speak,  began;  and  from  this  epoch  on  the  thing  more  worthy 
of  attention  has  been  the  idea  of  transporting  merchandise 
in  wagons,  an  idea  carried  into  effect,  in  1824,  by  a  company 
of  80  intelligent  Missouri  merchants,  who  were  the  first  to 
set  the  example  followed  afterwards  by  the  rest.  Twenty- 
five  or  thirty  thousand  dollars  might  have  been  the  value  of 
the  merchandise  of  the  former  which  they  conveyed  partly 
on  mules,  partly  in  wagons,  and  partly  in  carts.  The  car- 
avan arrived  in  Santa  Fe  with  much  less  difficulty  than  was 
expected,  on  account  of  that  being  the  first  trial  made  and  all 
the  expeditions,  at  first,  had  no  other  inconveniences  than 
those  of  the  road,  but  afterwards  they  were  also  compelled 
to  repulse  the  attacks  of  the  Indians,  which  attacks  were 
provoked  by  the  merchants  themselves,  who,  instead  of  cul- 
tivating friendly  relations  with  the  few  and,  at  the  same  time 

*  Barreiro:  in  "Historical  Notes"  of  Pino.  p.  75. 


ILLUSTKATED   HISTOliV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  573 

peaceful  Indians  that  remained,  they  would  kill,  whenever 
the  occasion  presented  itself,  in  cold  blood,  any  Indian  that 
fell  into  their  power,  only  because  some  one  of  his  tribe  had 
done  them  or  some  of  their  friends  some  outrage. 

United    Slates   Troops    Escort    the    Caravans — Escudero's     Trip    to 
Washington,  1825. 

"This  circumstance  compelled  them  thereafter  to  join  in 
caravans,  for  mutual  protection,  and  to  solicit  the  protection 
of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  which  was  granted, 
at  different  periods,  from  1827  to  183H,  a  few  escorts  under 
the  commands  of  Riley,  Wilson  and  Cook,  respectively,  is 
the  only  protection  which  the  government  has  given  to  the 
commerce  of  Santa  F6. 

"This  protection  was  asked  for  in  the  year  1825,  by  several 
communications  addressed  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and,  among  these,  those  of  Mr.  Bentham  to  the 
senate,  quoted  by  Mr.  Gregg,  in  his  work  "The  Commerce  of 
the  Prairies,"'  but  it  was  also  opportunely  and  energetically 
solicited,  on  our  part,  as  we  \^ere  going  to  make  it  known 
satisfactorily,  by  our  fellow  patriots,  in  order  to  render,  at 
least,  a  tribute  of  justice  (which  in  life  he  did  not  receive)  to 
the  memory  of  a  person  who  was  commissioned  for  that 
purpose  by  the  political  government  of  New  Mexico,  and 
made  the  trip  to  Washington  at  his  expense,  and  suffered  in 
this  troublesome  expeditionata  considerable  loss  of  property. 

Governor  Baca  Sends  Escudero  to  Washington. 

"This  person  was  the  attorney,  Don  Manuel  Simon  de  Escu- 
dero, a  resident  of  Chihuahua,  to  whom,  while  sojourning  in 
the  City  of  Santa  F^,  New  Mexico,  on  the  9th  of  June,  1825, 
the  pohtical  chief  of  the  Territory,  Don  Bertolom^  Baca, 
addressed  him  a  most  pathetic  communication  in  which  his 
patriotism  was  appealed  to,  to  accept  the  commission  he  con- 
ferred on  him,  of  going  to  the  United  States  of  North 
America,  in  accordance  with  the  orders  that  upon  that 
point  the  supreme  government  of  the  nation  had  given,  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  protection  needed  by  the  cara- 
vans which  traveled  across  the  desert,  and  of  insuring  our 
borders  against  the  invasions  of  the  savage  Indians  who  were 


574  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

hostile  to  both.  Attorney  Escudero  accepted  the  commis- 
sion and  gratuitously  discharged  it,  setting  out  without 
delay,  on  his  journey  to  Washington.  On  passing  through 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  Mr.  W.  Clarke,  Superintendent 
of  Indian  Affairs,  resided,  he  thought  it  convenient  to 
acquaint  him  with  the  object  of  his  mission,  and  the  latter 
answered  him,  in  a  note  of  September  25th,  of  the  same 
year,  that  the  government  of  the  United  States  sincerely 
wished  to  prevent  the  damages  caused  by  the  Indians,  and 
that  when  peace  and  security  were  established  in  the  fron- 
tiers, it  would  be  possible  to  carry  on  trade  between  the 
two  countries  with  complete  freedom;  wherefore  he  did  not 
doubt  that  New  Mexico's  solicitude  would  be  well  received 
by  the  government  of  the  United  States;  but  that,  as  this 
matter  was  beyond  his  power,  since  the  right  of  treating 
with  foreign  nations  belonged  exclusively  to  the  President, 
it  seemed  more  opportune  to  him  that  he  (Mr.  Escudero) 
should  address  himself  to  the  President,  who  was  already 
aware  of  the  damages  caused  by  the  savage  Indians;  and  to 
that  effect  he  (Mr.  Clarke)  showed  Escudero  a  copy  of  a  letter 
which  the  Secretary  of  War  of  that  republic  (the  United 
States)  had  addressed  to  Mr.  Clarke  himself,  in  which  he 
manifested  to  him  the  great  interest  the  government  at 
Washington  had  in  repressing  the  raids  of  the  savage 
Indians,  and  in  seeing  that  Mexicans,  who  passed  over  to 
trade  with  the  United  States,  should  be  treated  in  the  most 
benevolent  manner  possible;  assuring  Mr.  Escudero,  in  clos- 
ing, that  he  had  already  been  ordered  to  establish  a  military 
detachment  at  the  crossing  of  the  Arkansas,  through  which 
the  caravans  from  North  America  traveled  to  New  Mexico 
and  to  Old  Mexico,  in  order  to  protect  them  against  the 
Indians,  and  that  commissioners  had  been  sent  to  pacify  the 
latter  and  to  place  the  road  in  safety."" 

Escudero  undertook  his  trip  to  Washington,  and  there 
succeeded  in  interesting  the  representative  of  the  Mexican 
government  in  co-operating  with  himself  in  all  that  related  to 
the  success  of  Escudero's  embassy.  From  Washington, 
Escudero  left  for  Mexico,  to  urge  a  more  active  co-operation 
on    the    part    of    the    Mexican    government.     That  trip  of 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  575 

Escuderoand  the  advantages  which  redounded  therefrom 
are  described  by  Barrel ro  in  these  words: 

"In  virtue  of  this  communication,  Mr.  Escudero  cDntinued 
his  journey  to  Washington,  where  hemetMr.  Pablo  Obregon, 
in  charge  of  the  Mexican  legation,  with  whom  he  came  to 
an  understanding  regarding  the  success  of  his  mission,  and 
with  this  object  in  view,  he  acquainted  iiim  with  it  and  with 
the  documents  concerning  the  same,  which  he  had  in  his  pos- 
session. Mr.  Obregon  answered  him  on  January  5th,  1826, 
to  the  effect  that  the  Mexican  government  had  the  same 
intentions,  and  cherished  the  idea  of  giving  security  to  the 
frontier  states,  promising  him,  in  consequence,  to  take  up 
this  subject  upon  his  responsibility,  which,  however,  Mr. 
Escudero  continued  to  press  actively  on  his  part,  and  later 
communicated  the  result  thereof  to  the  government  of  Mexi- 
co, through  Mr.  Obregon  himself,  as  it  is  shown  by  the  note 
sent  to  him  by  that  minister,  dated  on  the  12th  of  the  month 
and  year  mentioned,  at  Washington,  the  copies  of  which  we 
have  at  sight. 

"Although  it  is  believed  that  St.  Louis  is  the  emporium  of 
the  commerce  of  Santa  Fe,  it  has  been  so  solely  on  account  of 
some  merchants  who  startoutfrom  its  immediate  vicinities. 
Franklin,  situated  on  the  Missouri  river,  and  some  neigh- 
boring towns,  were  so  until  1831,  from  which  point  the  in- 
conveniences of  traveling  a  hundred  miles  more, in  opposition 
to  the  facility  of  navigation  by  the  Missouri  river,  caused 
Independence,  a  town  situated  twelve  miles  from  the  Indian 
frontier  and  at  about  two  or  three  from  said  river,  to  become 
the  place  of  equipment,  landing,  and  departure,  where  the 
merchants  provide  themselves  with  mules,  oxen,  wagons, 
and  other  things  necessary  to  undertake  their  expeditions, 
carrying  tlour,  bacon,  sugar  and  salt. 

Interesting  Description  of  the  Journey. 

•'The  transport  wagons  most  in  use  are  made  in  Pittsburg 
and  are  drawn  generally  by  eight  mules,  or  an  equal  number 
of  oxen.  The  man  who  first  made  use  of  the  latter  animals 
was  Captain  Riley;  and  there  are  divers  opinions  as  to  which 
of  the  two  classes  of  animals  are  the  most  useful.    Ordinarily 


576  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

oxen  are  believed  to  be  the  best;  both  on  account  of  what 
they  are  able  to  endure,  as  because  the  formation  of  their 
hoof  makes  them  more  apt  for  bad  roads,  like  these,  where 
it  was  observed  how  much  the  poor  animals  endured;  and 
there  were  some  persons  who  were  struck  with  the  original 
occurrence  of  putting  raoccassins  on  them  like  those  used 
by  the  Indians,  but  of  a  different  skin,  for  those  used  by  the 
Indians  were  made  of  buffalo  hide  without  tanning,  while 
the  latter  were  made  of  Cibolo  hide  perfectly  tanned.  After 
all  these  preliminaries  are  completed,  the  merchants  attend 
to  the  leasing  of  the  wagons,  which  they  obtain  without 
much  difficulty,  on  account  of  the  confidence  placed  on  the 
well  known  good  faith  of  the  conductors.  As  regards  the 
horses  or  mules  to  draw  the  wagons,  they  are  also  easily 
obtained,  and,  as  it  is  said,  their  manner  of  harnessing  them 
for  the  road  is  the  same  as  used  in  trips  in  the  interior. 
Some  merchants,  however,  are  very  original  in  the  harness- 
ing of  their  mules. 

"After  all  these  bothers,  they  take  the  road  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Council  Grove,  ordinarily  suffering  the  inconvenience 
of  rain  and  deterioration  of  the  merchandise;  and,  in  order  to 
avoid  it,  they  take  care  that  the  wagons  have  an  awning  or 
cover  made  of  Osnabur  canvass.  Many  have  felt  the  dis- 
tressing effects  of  not  minding  this  precaution,  and  there  are 
some  who  prefer  the  Mackinaw  canvass,  both  because  they 
sell  it  well  without  paying  any  custom  duties,  and  because 
it  is  a  part  of  the  wagon.  The  rains  injure  the  animals,  also, 
for,  if  the  wagons  get  swamped,  they  can  hardly  be  pulled 
out. 

"Another  common  danger  in  crossing  the  branches  of  the 
Osage  river  is  the  meeting  of  (Kansas)  Indians  which  from 
that  point  on  commit  a  thousand  depredations  upon  the  trav- 
elers, robbing  them  of  their  goods  or  coin. 

Camping  Places. 
"The  perspective  presented  by  the  caravan  on  entering 
Council  Grove,  (so  called  from  the  council  which  meets  there 
of  the  most  respectable  persons)  is  indeed  picturesque.  Ima- 
gine an  infinite  number  of  wagons, open, or  uncovered,  where 
men  of  all  classes  of  society  are  to  be  seen,  and  few  persons  of 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  577 

the  fair  sex,  and  an  idea  may  be  had  of  the  wonder  which  ."^uch 
a  sight  must  produce  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  town.  These 
are  the  Osage  Indians  who  come  there  in  bands  foUowing  the 
trail  left  on  the  road  by  multitudes  of  wagons.  The  trav- 
elers must  exercise  great  care  with  them,  for,  despite  the 
treaties  which  they  have  made  with  the  United  States  they 
never  fail  to  insult  the  weak  and  the  indefensible. 

'•At  said  town  the  caravan  takes  its  supply  of  what  is  more 
necessary  to  continue  on  the  road:  for  until  that  point  is 
reached,  not  even  the  poorest  cabin  is  to  be  seen,  and,  further 
on,  there  is  such  a  total  lack  of  wood  that  it  is  not  to  be 
found  until  near  the  mountains  of  New  Mexico. 

"Having  done  all  this,  they  prepare  to  start  from  Council 
Grove,  bound  for  their  point  of  destination,  and,  after  they 
haveendured  the  laziness  of  the  conductors  and  the  perversity 
of  the  mules,  they  at  last  take  the  road,  and  the  first  thing 
met  with  after  twelve  miles  travel  is  "Diamond  Spring" 
which  is  a  clear  water  spring  close  to  a  small  creek.  At  twenty 
miles,  the  "Cottonwood"  is  crossed,  where  the  caravan 
becomes  joyful  on  account  of  the  pure  air  there  breathed, 
notwithstanding  the  fact,  that  when  night  is  to  be  spent  at 
this  point,  a  high  ground  must  be  selected  for  that  purpose, 
on  account  of  the  frequency  of  the  rains  which,  as  we  have 
said,  never  fail  to  cause  great  damages.  The  travelers, 
when  they  arrive,  are  very  desirous  of  hunting,  but  are 
generally  disappointed,  for,  excepting  the  wild  peacock,  no 
other  kind  of  animals  are  found  there. 

"On  the  second  day  of  the  journey  what  is  found  to  be 
more  deserving  of  mention  on  account  of  its  renown,  though 
not  because  of  its  importance,  is  the  "Little  Arkansas,"  a 
rivulet  whose  stream  is  five  or  six  yards  in  width,  at  most, 

"When  they  are  about  to  arrive,  some  of  the  men  of  the 
caravan  are  in  the  habit  of  separating  and  of  making,  by 
destroying  the  banks,  some  sorts  of  improvised  bridges 
over  which  the  wagons  cross.  Further  ahead  the  "Cow"  is 
seen,  another  rivulet,  similar  in  every  respect  to  the  preced- 
ing one,  and  crossed  in  the  same  manner.  The  fertile 
valley  of  the  Arkansas  is  then  entered,  distant  two  hundred 
and  seventy  miles  from  Independence,  where  the  finest 
perspective  is  enjoyed,   particularly  if  compared  with   the 


578 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


aridity  observed  all  along  this  desert,  as  far  as  Walnut  creek, 
whose  waters,  it  is  said,  are  very  health3\ 

"The  next  day  the  road  goes  through  a  plain  abounding  in 
buffaloes  and  very  appropriate  for  hunting.  At  a  distance 
of  15  miles,  the  traveler's  attention  is  fixed  on  "Pawnee 
Rock,"  so  called  on  account  of  a  battle  which,  it  is  related, 
the  Pawnee  Indians  fought  at  this  place  with  another  tribe 


Kev.  Atrustin  Tiiu 
X.'w  Mcxicv 


of  Indians.     Inscribed  on  said  rock  may  be  found  the  names 
of  several  travelers  who  have  passed  through  there. 

"After  Pawnee  Rock  has  been  passed,  the  caravan  reaches 
a  lane  called  "Ash,'"  where  a  place  is  found  named  Cach^ 
(to  hide),  because  one  of  the  first  travelers,  in  an  attack  by 
the  Indians,  hid  there  the  goods  he  carried.  Following  the 
road,  the  Arkansas  is  on  one  side  and  the  Cimarron  on  the 
other.      Here  the  travelers  take  a  supply  of  water  for  the 


I 


580  ILLUSTR'ATED   history    op    new    MEXICO. 

rest  of  the  journey  water  being  scarce  from  there  on.  For 
this  reason  when  "Upper  Spring"  is  at  last  reached,  the 
travelers  feel  quite  pleased.  Santa  Fe  is  finally  arrived  at, 
though  not  without  the  great  inconvenience,  caused  on 
entering  it  by  the  exacting  of  duties  charged  at  the  garitas 
(custom  houses),  the  same  being  so  excessive  that  sometimes 
they  have  gone  as  high  up  as  a  hundred  per  cent,  so  that  the 
merchant  has  to  be  satisfied  with  the  profits  he  may  be 
able  to  make  on  selling  his  merchandise  in  the  city.  The 
city  at  first  sight  has  a  most  fascinating  aspect  on  account 
of  the  activity  observed  in  all  the  shops  and  stores. 

"Although  every  class  of  merchandise  is  found  and  used 
there,  nevertheless,  unbleached  and  bleached  cotton  has  a 
better  market;  for,  although  calicoes  are  sold  at  a  very  high 
price  and  readily,  yet  the  trade  in  domestic  cotton  is  better. 
It  must,  however,  be  born  in  mind  that  American  goods  have 
better  sales  than  English  goods.'"  * 

Santa  Fe  Had  Factories- 
After  giving  a  geographical  description  of  Santa  Fe  and  of 
relating  the  unfavorable  condition  in  which  agriculture  was 
found,  Barreiro  gives  us  a  detailed  account  of  the  articles 
manufactured  at  the  Capital,  Santa  Fe,  whereby  it  is  seen 
that,  in  spite  of  our  boasted  civilization,  of  the  great  advance 
we  have  made  in  all  the  branches  of  industry  at  the  present 
time,  there  are  not,  as  in  those  times,  at  least  in  Santa  F^, 
any  factories  wherein  were  made  many  things  which,  had 
the  industry  of  that  branch  been  kept  up,  the  City  of  Santa 
F6  would  not  be  today  in  the  need  of  importing  the  articles 
which  were  formerly  manufactured  there.  Though  it  be  true 
that  those  industries  were  of  benefit  only  to  the  inhabitants 
of  New  Mexico,  it  is  also  true,  that  on  account  of  the  high 
taxes  the  government  charged  the  merchants,  the  articles 
manufactured  at  the  Capital  could  not  be  exported.  Barreiro 
speaking  on  that  subject,  says: 

"So  far  as  regards  the  manufacturing  industry,  which  is 
more    advanced  than  the  others,  it  comprises  the    manu- 

*  Haireiro:     Tn  "Hist.  Not."'  of  Pino,  p.  7!K 


I 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  581 

facture  of  blankets,  the  most  marketable  being  those  made  in 
imitation  of  the  Navajoes  and  of  those  of  Saltillo  (a  city  in 
Old  Mexico).  These  are  used  by  everybody  in  the  country, 
and  are  used  by  them  like  the  Spaniards  use  the  cloak.  They 
also  make  carpets  with  black  and  white  squares,  used  gen- 
erally as  tloor  covers,  while  the  poor  people  use  them  for 
dresses. 

"They  manufacture  other  clothes  but  they  are  all  of  the 
same  style;  the  taxes  laid  on  the  merchants  have  caused 
this  industry  to  be  almost  ignored."  * 

Barrel  ro  then  gives  us  correct  information  concerning  the 
resources  collected  through  the  "custom  house,"  as  follows: 

Income — Statistics  from  1820  to  1832. 

"Statement  showing  the  sums  collected  from  the  subaltern 
commissaryship,  through  imposts,  from  the  first  of  July, 
1820,  to  May,  1832. 

Years.  Cash.  Debts.     Smuggling 

Deposits. 

?oX'endo?jinfi830.1    ^^^'^^^.OO    $00,000.00  $  2,958.C0 
ToTily%f '^^'  [  35,706.74      16,209.46     00,000.00 


From  July  1831,  ) 
To  May  1832.        \" 


25,227.00      39,607.43     00,000.00" 


Number  of  American  Merchants  in  New  Mexico  in  1839. 

An  omission  is  observed  in  Barreiro's  narratives  which  we 
have  given  in  regard  to  the  foreign  merchants  that  were  in 
New  Mexico  at  the  time  when  Gregg  wrote  his  work  "Com- 
merce of  the  Prairies'"  (from  which  work  Barreiro  took  this 
information)  for  Gregg's  work  was  written  and  published  in 
the  year  1839.  Gregg  says  that  the  number  of  American 
merchants  in  New  Mexico  at  those  times  was  quite  respect- 

*  Barreiro.  in  "Hist.  Not."  of  Pino,  p.  "it. 


582  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

able,  the  same  being  distributed  among  Santa  F^,  San 
Miguel,  Las  Vegas  and  Taos,  among  them  were  Ledoux,  St. 
Vrain,  Waldo,  and  many  others  whose  names  appear  in 
another  part  of  this  work;  as  the  epochs  of  the  Spanish  and 
the  Mexican  governments  are  covered  by  this  narrative,  that 
is,  starting  from  the  epoch  in  which  Pino  wrote  his  "Historical 
and  Statistical  Notes"'  in  1812,  to  the  year  1846,  when  the 
change  of  Hags  was  effected >  we  will  give  the  reader,  in  closing 
this  chapter,  a  concise  narrative  of  our  commerce  and  its 
development  in  New  Mexico  from  the  time  the  Territory 
came  to  form  a  part  of  the  American  Union,  to  our  days. 

Commerce  Under  the  American  Government. 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  first  wagons  were  intro- 
duced into  New  Mexico  in  the  year  1824;  we  have,  also,  seen 
that  in  that  year,  there  were  26  wagons  with  a  hundred  men 
employed  to  manage  them  in  the  trade  between  Santa  Fe 
and  Missouri,  and  that  the  amount  of  merchandise  imported 
that  year  from  Missouri  was  valued  at  $35,000;  that  the  num- 
ber of  wagons  went  gradually  on  the  increase  from  year  to 
year,  and  a  corresponding  increase  of  trade,  so  that  in  1846, 
when  the  American  army  entered  New  Mexico,  the  number 
of  wagons  employed  in  the  caravans  readied  the  figure  of 
444,  and  the  value  of  merchandise  ascended  in  that  year  to 
$1,752,250;  while  commerce  received,  up(m  the  annexation  of 
New  Mexico  to  the  American  Republic,  such  a  radical  im- 
pulse that  the  difference  between  the  two  governments  was 
immediately  noticed,  the  same  redounding  in  favor  of  the 
American  government.  By  detailing  the  annual  commerce 
and  its  increase,  the  reader  will  see  how  the  traffic  between 
the  United  States,  New  Mexico  and  Chihuahua  expanded. 
Before  the  year  1824,  which  we  have  already  noted,  the  trade 
with  the  United  States  was  insignificant,  the  means  of  con- 
duction being  by  loaded  mules.  There  being  no  positive  sta- 
tistics, other  than  those  already  given,  previous  to  the  year 
1822,  we  can  only  give  that  which  is  known  from  the  year 
1822  to  the  year  1828.  The  sum  of  merchandise  imported  in 
1822  and  1823  amounted  to  $15,000  in  1822,  and  ^12,000  in 


ILLUSTKATEl)    IIISTOliV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  583 

lr<23.  Now  we  will  give  in  tabulated  form  the  sums  to  which 
merchandise  thus  imported  amounted  per  year,  commencing 
in  the  year  isi,\"..     The  tabulary  follows: 

Year.  Amount.  No.  wagons  eini)loyed. 

lS-25  $  65,000.00                               35 

1820  90,000  00                               60 

1827  85,000.00  55 

1828  150,000.00  100 

1829  60,000.00  30 

1830  120,000.00  70 
1«31             250,000.00            130 

1832  140,000.00  70 

1833  180,000.00  105 

1834  150,000.00  80 

1835  140,000.00  75 

1836  130,000.00  70 

1837  150,000.00  80 

1838  90,000.00  50 

1839  250,000.00  130 

1840  50,000.00  30 

1841  150,000.00  60 

1842  160,000.00  -70 

1843  450,000.00  280 

Between  the  years  1843  and  1H46  it  amounted  to  $1,752,250, 
as  we  have  said.* 

First   Railroads   in   New  Mexico. 

Manufacturing  industries,  in  the  sense  in  which  they  ought 
to  be  understood,  do  not  exist,  nor  have  ever  existed  in  New- 
Mexico.  Some  saw  and  flour  mills,  as  well  as  some  brick  kilns 
are  to  be  found,  but  their  joint  value  cannot  be  said  to  reach 
§1,000,000,  so  that  that  branch  of  the  mercantile  industry 
has  not  advanced  much  until  the  change  of  governments.  The 
main  trade  of  New  Mexico  at  the  present  time  consists  in  the 
importation  of  merchandise  from  the  eastern  states,  for  the 

*Haines*  "Hist,  of  New  Mex."  p.  154. 


584  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ordinary  consumption  of  the  mining  camps  and  other  indus- 
tries, and  for  the  needs  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  state.  From 
1846  to  1876,  or,  in  the  thirty  years  that  intervened  between 
the  change  of  governments  and  the  advent  of  railroad  lines, 
no  truthful  statistics  are  found  about  the  increase  of  com- 
mercial traffic,  for  the  reason  that  since  1846  no  duties  have 
been  paid,  and,  consequently,  no  account  was  kept  of  the 
importations  and  exportations;  nevertheless,  by  calculations 
made  by  Bancroft*  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  at  the  time 
of  the  entry  of  the  first  raili'oad  line,  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
and  Santa  Fe,  to  the  year  1876,  it  was  not  under  $2,000,000,  a 
year. 

In  that  year  (1876)  the  celebrated  annual  trips  of  the 
caravans  ceased,  the  same  being  replaced  by  the  railroad, 
the  Territory  receiving,  by  the  change,  the  first  and  most 
beneficial  impulse  which  served  as  an  incentive  for  the 
material  development  of  the  principal  industries — stock- 
raising,  mining  and  agriculture. 

With  the  coming  of  the  railroad  the  values  of  all  property 
were  enhanced,  although  not  to  the  degree  that  was  to  be 
expected,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  said  railroad  line, 
the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe,  being  a  trunk  line  and 
having  California  and  the  Pacific  coast  as  its  terminal,  its 
owners  did  not  take  kindly  to  the  unfolding  of  the  industries 
of  New  Mexico,  dedicating  all  their  efforts  to  the  enhance- 
ment of  the  population  and  wealth  of  the  flourishing  state  of 
California.  All  that  notwithstanding,  the  Territory  con- 
tinued progressing  in  an  astonishing  manner,  so  much  so 
that,  to  the  year  1890,  there  were  already  several  railroad 
lines  that  traversed  the  Territory,  making  a  total  sum  of 
1,264  miles  and  a  half,  and  bringing  into  the  Territory  all  of 
them  together,  a  total  of  152,524,565  pounds, f  enabling  us  to 
assert  that,  at  the  present  date,  the  number  of  railroad  miles 
in  the  State  is  not  under  the  double  of  the  figures  which  we 
have  just  given,  from  which  the  reader  may  be  able  to  form 
his  own  idea  as  in  1905,  according  to  official  statistics,  there 
were  2,556A  miles  of  railroad  valued  at  $500,000,000. 

In  the  year  1910,  according  to  the  official  information  given 

*  Bancroft:     "Hist,  of  Ariz,  and  New  Mex.""  p.  (171. 
t  Gov.  L.  B.  Prince  Rep.  Secy,  of  Interior.  IS'U)  p.  22. 


ILLUSTRATED   IIISTOIiV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  585 

to  the  author  of   this   work  by  C.  V.    Safford,  the  travel- 
ing- auditor  of  New  Mexico,  there  are  in  New  Mexico: 

Trunk  and  auxiliary  railroad   lines 13 

Mileage,  and  telegraphic  and  telephone  lines  in 

active  operation  of  said  lines 2,758 

Industrial  railroad   lines 9 

Mileage  of  said  lines 165 

Total  "railroad  lines 22 

Total  mileage  in   operation 2,923 

Total  telegraphic  and  telephone  lines 4,734 

The  actual  value  of  said  lines  reaches  up  to  $77,000,000. 
From  that  sum  a  tax  is  collected  at  the  rate  of  an  appraise- 
ment upon  20  per  cent  of  said  sum  of  $77,000,000.  According 
to  said  auditor,  said  railroad  lines  represent  24.218  per  cent 
of  the  whole  property  of  the  State  subject  to  taxation. 

Incorporated  Corporations  for  Pecuniary  Ends. 
According  to  an  official  communication  addressed  to  the 
author  of  this  work  by  Mr.  Nathan  Jaffa,  Secretary  of  New 
Mexico,  dated  at  Santa  F6,  on  May  19th,  1910,  there  were  at 
that  date  1358  companies  and  corporations  organized  and 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  New  Mexico  for  pecuniary 
ends  divided  in  this  manner: 

Companies  for  certifying  Real  Estate  Titles.  . .  25 

Banks  and  Trust  Companies 39 

Loan  and  Building  Associations    12 

Construction  and  Idem  Associations  ......    .    .  14 

Mercantile  Companies 219 

Manufacturing  Companies 125 

Irrigation  Companies 70 

Mining  and  Foundry  Companies 380 

Stock  Raising  and  Farming  Agriculture  Com- 
panies   

Railroad  Companies 45 

Telegraph  and  Telephone  Companies 28 

Hotels 6 

Light,  Gas  and  Fuel  Companies  41 

Saving  Companies 149 

Publishing  Companies 21 

Miscellaneous 71 

Grand  total 1,358 


103 


586  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Banks  and  Banking. 

From  this  showing,  the  reader  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
understanding  that  for  the  existence  of  such  a  large  number 
of  companies  and  corporations,  the  economical  and  industrial 
condition  of  the  State  must  be  very  satisfactory,  all  of  which 
gives  assurance  of  a  more  hopeful  future,  specially  at  this 
time  that  New  Mexico  is  made  a  State  of  the  American 
Union. 

We  shall  now  give  the  condition  of  the  banking  industry, 
which,  among  all  civilized  nations,  is  the  most  certain  index 
of  the  economical  development  of  nations  and  political 
entities.  By  an  official  letter  of  said  financial  auditor  of  New 
Mexico  to  this  author  dated  May  19,  1910,  it  is  seen  that 
there  were,  at  that  date,  in  New  Mexico  the  following 
banks,  viz: 

National  Banks 41 

Territorial  Banks 39 

Total 80 

The  capital,  resources  and  habilities  of  said  banking  in- 
stitutions, according  to  said  auditor,  ascends  to  a  cash  capital 
of  $3,251,900. 

Resources.and  liabilities  $25,266,487. 

Speaking  of  the  tinancial  condition  of  New  Mexico  in  his 
said  letter,  Mr.  Safford  closes  with  these  words: 

"The  fact  is  worthy  of  mention  that,  during  the  last  nine 
years,  not  one  single  territorial  bank  has  been  closed  through 
lack  of  resources.  Only  one  of  the  national  banks  has  gone  into 
liquidation,  and  that  without  its  stock  holders  suffering  any 
great  loss.  During  the  same  period  of  time,  a  private  bank, 
which  was  not  under  my  jurisdiction,  also  went  into  liquida- 
tion, its  depositors  suffering  a  small  loss.  Considering  well 
what  is  exhibited,  says  the  auditor,  our  tinancial  record 
could  not  be  more  favorable." 

Real  and  Personal  Property  Values. 

The  enhancement  of  real  and  personal  estate  values  (mov- 
able and  immovable  property)  subject  to  taxation  has  been 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  587 

more  remarkable  from  the  year  1881  onward.  According  to 
the  report  rendered  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  Hon. 
Henry  M.  Teller,  bj'^  Lionel  Sheldon,  Governor  of  New 
Mexico,  dated  September  6th,  1883,  it  is  thus  shown. 

Year  1881  real  estate  subject  to  taxation  .  .$14,088,554 
Year  1882  real  estate  subject  to  taxation . .  20,441,395 
Year  1883  real  estate  subject  to  taxation  . .   27,137,003 

Thus,  the  increase  of  the  value  of  said  properties  went  on 
growing  from  year  to  year  until  the  year  1889,  when  it 
reached  the  figure  of  $46,041,010.  In  1909  it  came  to  $58,- 
500,000,  and  1910  it  went  up  to  $62,800,000. 

Historical  Society  and  Newspaper  Press. 

The  Historical  Society  of  New  Mexico  was  organized  in  the 
year  1859,  Colonel  J.  B.  Graysen  being  its  founder  and  first 
president.  It  became  dismembered  during  the  civil  war, 
and  was  not  reorganized  until  the  year  1880,  in  December, 
when  it  celebrated  its  twenty-first  anniversary  by  electing 
Hon.  L.  H.  Prince,  as  its  president.  Mr.  Prince  has  con- 
tinued in  that  post  until  the  present  time,  and  the  flour- 
ishing condition  in  which  that  society  is  found  to  day,  is  due 
to  him.  In  1884,  the  Territory  assigned  to  it  the  rooms 
which  were  formerly  used  for  legislative  purposes — the  two 
eastern  halls  of  the  "old  palace.'"  As  the  collection  of  historical 
objects  increased,  other  compartments  of  the  building  were 
added  to  it,  until  it  actually  occupies  the  eastern  half  of  said 
building.  It  owns  a  collection  of  gems  and  antique  relics 
of  an  immense  historical  value,  from  prehistoric  times» 
among  which  is  found  a  public  collection  of  very  old  Spanish 
manuscripts.  Its  library  comprises  the  most  rare  works 
and  of  great  merit,  the  same  being  considered  the  best 
between  New  York  and  San  Francisco. 

The  Press. 

The  newspaper  press  of  New  Mexico,  English  and  Spanish, 
has  progressed  marvelously.  There  are  to  be  found  today 
134  newspapers,  as  daily  and  weekly  publications. 


588  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Archaeological  School  and  Museum  of  New  Mexico. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Archaeological  Institute  of 
America,  hold  in  Chicago,  December  31,  1907,  the  council 
decided  to  found  a  school  of  American  Archaeology.  Already 
this  great  international  organization  had  estabhshed  schools 
in  Athens.  Rome  and  Jerusalem,  and  its  action  in  deciding 
to  establish  an  organization  for  the  study  of  the  ancient 
civilizations  of  America,  was  hailed  with  great  satisfaction 
throughout  the  United  States.  After  several  months  spent 
in  considering  the  claims  of  various  cities  for  the  location  of 
the  institution,  the  managing  committeeof  the  school  decided 
upon  the  old  Spanish-American  capital  of  Santa  F6  for  its 
location.  Here  was  found  the  richest  archaeological  dis- 
trict in  the  United  States,  a  place  from  which  the  study  of 
the  ancient  civilizations  of  America  could  be  conducted  in 
the  field  with  the  least  inconvenience  and  expense,  and  with 
the  most  substantial  results  Moreover,  the  Territory  of 
New  Mexico,  through  its  legislature,  generously  placed 
at  the  disposition  of  the  school,  the  old  Palace  of  the 
Governors,  which  was  constructed  in  the  early  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century  for  the  residence  of  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernors, and  for  three  hundred  years  has  been  the  seat  of 
authority  under  Spanish,  Mexican  and  American  rule,  suc- 
cessively. It  is  the  noblest  remaining  monument  to  the 
memory  of  the  Spanish  founders  of  the  civilization  of  the 
southwest.  With  proper  alteration  it  was  found  to  be  admir- 
ably adapted  to  the  purposes  of  a  School  and*  Museum  of 
Archaeology.  The  modern  improvements  in  the  way  of  pan- 
eled window  and  door  casings,  mantles,  etc.,  have  been 
removed,  and  the  style  of  the  Spanish  founders  has  been 
adhered  to  as  strictly  as  possible  in  the  restoration.  The 
ancient  vigas  and  hand-chopped  slabs  forming  the  ceilings  of 
the  various  rooms  have  been  again  brought  to  light,  and  one 
may  now  behold  the  ancient  Palace  of  the  Governors  more 
primitive  in  appearance  than  it  has  been  for  the  last  hun- 
dred years,  and  yet  in  a  state  of  repair  that  will  ensure  its 
endurance  for  many  centuries  to  come.  It  seems  most 
fitting  that  this  venerable  structure  should  be  made  to  dis- 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  589 

play  the  history  of  the  southwest  for  the  past  centuries,  and 
this,  it  is  understood,  is  to  be  its  destiny. 

Tlie  Territorial  le^^islature  in  thus  establisliing  this 
archaeological  school  in  New  Mexico,  under  an  act  entitled 
"An  Act  to  Establish  a  Museum  for  the  Territory  of  New 
Mexico,"  (Chap  4,  Laws  of  N.  M.  1909)  approved  February 
19,  1909,  appropriated  the  annual  sum  of  $5,000  for  the  care 
and  improvement  of  the  building,  grounds  and  museum, 
the  obtaining  of  collections,  books  and  equipment  for  the 
museum,  the  preservation  of  archaeological  sites  in  New 
Mexico,  the  publication  of  investigations  and  for  incidental 
expenses  necessary  to  the  administration  of  the  museum 
(Sec.  8  of  said  Chap.  4  supra).  These  annual  appropriations 
are  to  be  paid  by  warrant  from  the  auditor  of  public 
accounts  on  presentation  of  vouchers  properly  signed  by  the 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Board  of  Regents  in  charge 
of  the  museum. 

The  Santa  Fe  Trail — Its  End — ^Formally  Dedicated  at  the  City  of  Santa 
Fe,  August  21,  1911 — Prayer  by  Rev.  Jules  Deraches — Miss 
Madeline  Mills,  Daughter  of  Governor  Mills,  Uncovers  the  Histor- 
ical Slab  in  the  Presence  of  a  Great  Concourse  of  People — Several 
Addresses  Are  Made. 

(From  the  New  Mexican,  Aug-ust  26,  1911). 
"In  the  presence  of  the  governor  of  New  Mexico,  of  many 
prominent  citizens,  and  of  a  great  concourse  of  people,  the 
dedication  of  the  slab  bearing  the  inscription   which  marks 
the  end  of  the  Santa  Fe  trail,  took  place  last  Monday. 

"The  veil  over  the  inscription  was  withdrawn  by  Miss 
Madeline  Mills,  daughter  of  Governor  Mills,  she  appearing 
very  appropriately  in  white  dress  at  the  moment  of  removing 
this,  the  last  and  most  remarkable  of  the  granite  fingers  which 
marks  to  future  generations  the  famous  trail  which  ends  here. 
"At  the  opening  of  the  exercises,  Rev.  Jules  Deraches, 
chaplain  of  St.  Vincent's  Sanitarium,  offered  prayer.  Mrs. 
L.  Bradford  Prince  spoke  next,  she  formally  delivering  the 
monument  to  the  governor  of  the  new  state.  Messrs.  Selig- 
man,  Catron,  Nestor  Montoya  and  Ex-Governor  L.  Bradford 
Prince  followed  with  addresses." 


590  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

The  Wagon  Route — Santa  Fe  Trail — Trip  of,  and  Reception  to  Williams, 
the  Historian. 

A  special  meeting  of  the  city  council  was  held,  Monday, 
August  28,  1911,  at  the  court  house,  which  was  called  by  the 
mayor  of  the  city,  in  order  to  give  an  appropriate  welcome  to 
Dr.  Walter  Williams,  dean  of  the  college  press  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Missouri,  and  a  noted  historian  and  writer  in  reviews, 
who  crossed  the  Santa  P'e  trail  in  an  automobile  with  the  pur- 
pose of  gathering  data  and  information  for  a  book  regarding 
the  trail,  and  also  to  promote  the  project  of  a  transcontinental 
cart  or  vehicle  road  with  the  trail  as  one  of  its  great  links. 

A  little  after  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Dean  Williams, 
his  son  Moss  Williams,  and  his  secretary.  Miss  Quinn, 
reached  the  court  house.  Williams  was  introduced  to  the 
mayor  and  council  of  the  city  by  the  local  editor  of  the  New 
Mexican  who  gave  information  of  Williams'  mission  to  this 
place,  and  of  the  peculiar  feat  he  had  just  accomplished,  as 
the  first  man  in  the  world  who  had  traveled  over  all  the  trail 
in  an  automobile. 

Mr.  Williams,  then,  addressed  the  mayor  and  aldermen 
stating  that  it  was  a  great  pleasure  to  him  to  see  here  faces 
that  were  familiar  to  him.  He  said  that  he  had  with  him  a 
letter  from  the  mayor  at  the  end  of  the  trail,  in  Old  Franklin, 
Missouri.  He  explained  the  objects  of  his  trip,  and  stated 
that  one  of  them  was  to  gather  new  material  in  reference  to 
the  trail,  and  that  he  had  had  the  good  luck  of  meeting  many 
persons  who  gave  him  valuable  information. 

City  Council  and  Citizens  Extend  Warm  Welcome — Santa  Fe  Trail 
Discussed  by  Distinguished  Guest-Messrs.  T.  B.  Catron  and 
Benjamin  M.  Read — August  28,  1911  —Mayor's  Address. 

In  reply  to  Mr.  Williams,  Mayor  Seligman  said:  "It  gives 
me  much  pleasure  and  it  is  indeed  an  honor  for  me  to 
welcome  you  to  Santa  Fe,  the  City  of  the  Holy  Faith  and  the 
end  of  the  Santa  F^  trail.  And  as  the  first  to  travel  this 
ancient  and  honored  trail  in  a  motor  driven  vehicle,  I  welcome 
you. 

"This  trip  of  yours  teaches  a  lesson — the  fire  and  reso- 
lution of  long  ago 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  591 

*  ''Your  mission,  Mr.  Williams,  is  most  praiseworthy  and 
manifests  a  zeal  which  cannot  but  redound  to  the  credit  of 
its  author  and  be  of  vast  importance  to  the  several  states 
and  cities  interested.  I  assure  you  that  the  pioneers,  the 
citizens  of  today,  the  city  council  and  the  motherhood  of 
Santa  Pe  appreciate  your  efforts  in  the  noble  and  grand  work 
you  have  undertaken  to  connect  this  country  ocean  to  ocean 
by  a  great  transcontinental,  throbbing  highway! 

"Only  a  few  days  ago  we  celebrated  the  marking,  by  a 
suitable  memorial  stone,  the  end  of  the  Santa  F6  trail  so  far 
as  it  related  to  the  highway  itself.  And  now  we  are  at  work 
to  further  memorialize  the  trail  in  marking  the  spot  by 
erecting  a  suitable  memorial  arch.  For  the  old  Santa  F6 
trail  cannot  be  too  much  in  evidence,  it  cannot  be  too 
highly  honored  or  exalted.  Santa  F6,  the  ancient  city, 
is  one  of  the  most  progressive,  and  Santa  F6  is  the  most 
unique,  and  yet  the  most  beautiful  city,  we  think,  in  the 
country,  and  extends  to  you,  sir,  her  hospitality/' 

Following  the  mayor's  greeting,  Mr.  Williams  asked  the 
mayor  to  be  so  kind  as  to  write  a  letter  back  to  the  mayor 
of  Old  Franklin,  Missouri.  Mr.  Williams  added  that  he 
felt  that  Missouri  would  be  a  greater  state  than  it  is  if  it 
had  not  parted  with  so  many  of  its  citizens  who  came  to 
New  Mexico  and  the  southwest. 

Mr.  Catron's  Address. 

Mayor  Seligman  then  asked  Mr.  Catron  to  say  a  few 
words.  Mr.  Catron  talked  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  telling 
of  incidents  relative  to  the  old  trail,  the  heroes  who  crossed 
it,  the  men  who  made  famous  rides  over  it,  and  how  he  had 
lived  at  Boonville  and  there  heard  so  much  of  Santa  F^  that 
he  finally  moved  here  in  18(3(5,  traveling  over  the  trail. 

He  said  that  the  trail  had  never  been  worked  on  to  any 
great  extent;  no  large  sum  of  money  had  been  expended 
"fixing  it  up."'  He  compared  it  to  the  ancient  trails  or  roads 
of  the  past  and  said  that  it  undoubtedly  eclipsed  anything 
the  Romans  built  in  length  and  today  eclipsed  anything  they 
left. 

He  paid  a  tribute  to  roads  in  general  calling  them  "the 
beginning  of  commerce,  the  marks  of  civilization."     He  said: 


592  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

"The  public  must  have  communication,  but  we  are  beyond 
the  idea  of  using  these  highways  for  business.  We  have 
railroads  to  transact  that,  to  carry  our  freight.  But  we  need 
them  for  auto  traffic  and  the  auto  has  come  to  stay " 

Discussed  Statehood. 

Before  closing  Mr.  Catron  said: 

"Mr.  Williams,  the  people  of  your  state  like  the  'people  of 
others  states,  through  their  representatives  in  Congress 
have  told  what  we  may  do  and  what  we  may  not  do  for  a 
long  time  but  soon  we  are  going  to  have  a  voice  in  telling  you 
what  to  do.  We  are  going  to  have  Senators  and  Congress 
men  of  our  own  and  these  will  have  a  say  about  the  governing 
of  others  as  others  have  governed  us." 

Mr.  B.  M.  Read  on  the  Trail- 
He  said  in  part: 

"Mr.  Mayor,  Members  of  the  City  Council,  Ladies  and 
Gentlemen:  I  have  been  requested  to  say  a  few  words  on 
the  Santa  F6  trail.  I  might  say  first  of  all  that  the  popular 
belief  that  Mr.  Becknell  was  the  first  merchant  to  cross  the 
trail  is  erroneous.  Missouri  was  not  the  first  state  in  the 
Union  to  introduce  American  merchandise  in  New  Mexico. 
That  honour,  without  detracting  the  credit  which  might 
rightfully  belong  to  Missouri  goes  to  Illinois.  A  merchant 
from  Kaskaskia,  Illinois,  sent  in  1804,  a  Frenchman  named 
Lalande  with  American  goods  to  New  Mexico.  Lalande  was 
arrested  by  the  Spanish  soldiers  before  reaching  Santa  F6. 
In  Santa  Fe  his  goods,  or  part  of  them,  were  contiscated. 
The  balance  he  sold,  kept  the  money,  settled  in  Santa  F^  and 
married  a  Spanish  lady.  The  same  year  another  merchant 
came  to  Santa  F^  from  Missouri,  his  name  wasPursley.  He 
was  more  successful,  sold  his  goods  and  went  back  to 
Missouri.  The  next  man  to  come  to  New  Mexico,  not  as  a 
merchant,  but  as  an  explorer,  was  Colonel  Zebulon  Pike,  in 
1805.  Pike  was  arrested  by  the  Spanish  authorities  near  the 
place  where  now  stands  the  town  of  Alamosa,  Colorado,  and 
taken  to  Chihuahua  as  a  prisoner.  Then  came  the  tirst  ex- 
pedition of  American  traders  headed  by  McKnight,  also 
from  Missouri.     This  was  in  18r2.     McKnight  and  all  ther 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NFAW    MEXICO.  j93 

members  of  his  party  were  also  made  prisoners,  their  goods 
confiscated  and  they  were  taken  to  Mexico  where  they 
remained  until  1821,  That  year,  1821,  two  more  expeditions 
of  American  traders  from  Missouri  came  to  Santa  F^, 
headed  by  Glenn  and  Becknell  respectively,  and  another 
headed  by  Cooper  and  his  sons,  came  to  Taos— also  from  Mis- 
souri. Up  to  this  date  only  mule  pack  trains  had  been  used. 
In  1822,  80  merchants  of  Missouri  organized  formally  the 
trade  over  the  Santa  F6  trail  and  sent  to  Santa  Pe  $300,000 
worth  of  American  goods,  using  for  the  first  time  wagon 
trains.  That  same  year  the  trade  by  wagons  was  extended 
from  Santa  F6  to  Chihuahua,  Sonora  and  Durango,  Mexico. 
In  June,  1825,  Governor  Bartolome  Baca,  sent  as  special 
envoy  by  order  of  the  Mexican  government,  Mr.  Simon 
Manuel  Escudero  to  interest  the  American  government 
in  the  establishment  of  military  escorts  to  protect  the 
freighters  from  Independence  to  Fort  Bent,  the  Mexican 
government  obliging  itself  to  furnish  troops  from  Fort  Bent 
to  Santa  F^. 

"In  Washington,  Escudero  was  assisted  by  Seiior  Pablo 
Obregon,  then  in  charge  of  the  Mexican  legation  there. 
Escudero's  mission  was  successful,  the  American  govern- 
ment furnishing  the  requested  protection  and  from  1827  to 
1833  American  soldiers,  under  the  command  of  Colonels 
Riley,  Watson  and  Cook,  respectively,  protected  the  freight 
trains  as  far  as  Bent's  Fort,  and  from  there  to  Santa  Fe  the 
Mexican  soldiers  escorted  them.  That  is  succinctly,  a  brief 
historyof  the  Santa  Fe  trail  in  so  far  as  it  relates  to  trade. 
Now  with  reference  to  its  connection  with  the  establishment 
of  the  overland  mail,  express  and  passenger  traffic  over  the 
same  trail  it  would  be  impossible  to  go  now  into  details,  not 
wishing  to  take  up  your  time  with  a  full  statement  on  that 
point,  but  would  simply  state,  that  in  the  year  1887,  a  man  by 
the  name  of  A.  L.  Carpenter,  who  was  from  1363  to  1866,  the 
head  manager  of  the  overland  mail,  express  and  passenger 
traffic  from  Kansas  City  to  Santa  F6,  wrote  a  complete 
history  of  the  trade,  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  number 
of  stations,  passenger  fare,  which  was  $1715  for  each  pas- 
senger from  Kansas  City  to  Santa  Fe,  with  an  allowance  of 
40  pounds  for  baggage  and  a  pair  of  blankets,  and  the  express 


594  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

charges  for  carrying  money  which  was  $85  per  $1,000  (*1  per 
pound  for  gold  and  silver  buHion.) 

"The  line  was  then  owned  by  Sanderson  and  Barlow  and 
it  necessitated  13  days  and  6  hours  to  make  the  trip  from 
Kansas  City  to  Santa  Pe.  Mr.  Carpenter's  articles  were 
published  October,  1887,  in  the  Kansas  City  Journal,  one 
year  after  the  famous  overland  express  office  of  Sanderson 
and  Barlow,  at  the  corner  of  Second  and  Union  streets,  in 
Kansas  City,  had  been  destroyed  by  the  cyclone  of  1886  which 
killed  30  persons.     I  have  the  article  alluded  to." 

In  the  next  chapter  we  shall  deal  with  the  subject  of  grants, 
state  government  and  officers,  administration  of  justice,  of 
the  question  of  statehood,  and  other  matters  of  general 
interest. 


i 


CHAPTER  Xll. 

Grants  or  Donations  of  Land — Government,  Officers,  and  Administra- 
tionof  Justice — Under  the  Mexican  Government — Under  the  Ameri- 
can Government — Tribunals  of  Justice — Sheriffs  and  Gonstables — 
Governors  Under  Military  Government — Under  the  Organic  Law- 
Secretaries  of  State — Judges  of  the  Supreme  Gourt — Delegates  in 
Gongress — Territorial  Legislatures  and  Their  Presiding  Officers — 
Bar  Association  Gelebration  of  Marshall's  Anniversary — State- 
hood Question. 

From  the  tirst  times  of  the  conquest,  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment reahzed  the  necessity  of  being  hberal  in  the  act  of 
donating  lands  with  the  object  of  peopling  the  Territory  and 
furthering  civilization  by  means  of  agriculture.  Thus  it  was 
that  it  covered  the  Territory  with  grants  to  particular  indi- 
viduals, imposing  always  the  condition  that  settlements 
should  be  established  which  never  were  to  be  abandoned. 
Neither  the  Spanish,  nor  the  Mexican  government,  ever  in- 
tended that  the  ownership  over  those  grants  should  ever  be 
of  others  than  of  the  legitimate  descendants  of  the  original 
grantees,  but  with  the  change  of  governments,  1848,  the 
Territory  passed  over  to  the  American  government,  which, 
by  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  bound  itself  to  protect 
said  grantees  and  their  successors.  In  fulfillment  of  that 
obligation,  the  American  congress  decreed  on  July  22,  1854, 
the  establishment  of  a  surveyor  general  dispatch,  with  a 
surveyor  general  at  its  head,  for  the  purpose  of  having  all 
public  lands  surveyed,  as  well  as  those  which  belonged  to 
private  individuals,  and  the  President  appointed  a  Mr, 
Pelham  as  the  tirst  surveyor  general.  The  latter  immedi- 
ately after  his  arrival,  caused  a  general  surveying  of  the 
public  lands  to  be  made,  defining  at  the  same  time  the 
boundaries  of  the  private  grants,  where  by  it  was  learned 
that  the  total  area  of  public  lands  was  2,293,142  acres  of  land, 
and  the  total  area  of  the  Territory  77,568,640  acres  or  121,291 
square  miles.     The  said  surveyor  general  was  empowered 


596  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

to  receive  the  claims  of  the  grantees,  to  examine  them,  and 
bo  approve  or  disapprove  the  grants,  his  opinion  being  sub- 
ject to  the  action  of  the  congress  of  the  United  States.  Many- 
were  the  grants  approved  by  said  surveyor  and  the  congress 
of  the  United  States  until  the  year  1891,  when  by  an  act 
approved  by  the  congress  on  the  third  day  of  March,  a  tri- 
bunal was  established  with  the  sole  object  of  examining, 
approving  or  disapproving  said  grants  in  the  Territories  of 
New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  the  passage  of  such  an  act  having 
been  occasioned  by  the  great  confusion,  that  on  account  of 
said  grants,  existed  in  the  matter  of  titles  to  land  in  said 
Territories  from  which  great  obstacles  resulted  in  the 
development  of  the  industries  of  both  Territories.  The 
number  of  grants  that  had  been  tiled  in  the  office  of  the  sur- 
veyor general,  until  the  date  of  the  formation  of  said  tribunal, 
reached  the  figure  of  198  among  the  approved  and  disap- 
proved grants.  Said  tribunal  or  land  grant  court,  was  or- 
ganized in  the  city  of  Santa  Fe,  in  July,  1891,  and  closed  its 
sessions,  in  the  year  1904,  having  approved  2,051,526  acres  of 
land  and  disapproved  33,439,493.  With  the  closing  of  said 
tribunal  the  chaotic  condition  of  things  in  reference  to  the 
permanent  settlement  of  said  grants  remained  forever 
removed  and  New  Mexico  entered  more  fully  into  the 
development  of  all  its  industries. 

Government  Officers  and  Administration  of  Justice. 

During  the  incumbency  of  the  Spanish  government,  the 
civil  and  political  government  of  the  Territory  was  almost 
exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the  governor,  who  was  at  the  same 
time  both  political  and  military  governor.  According  to  Pino 
the  civil  and  political  government  was  organized  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner: 

'■The  whole  province  was  divided  into  seven  alcaldeships, 
the  alcaldes  serving  without  salaries,  and  subject  to  the  poli- 
tical and  military  governor,  without  an  attorney  general  nor 
even  a  secretary,  because  there  is  none  in  the  whole  province. 
He,  the  governor,  has  as  coadjutors  (helpers)  two  lieutenants 
and  two  ensigns. 

"From  the  decisions  of  the  governor  there  is  no  appeal  in 
civil  or  criminal  cases  other  than  to  the  audience  of  Guadala- 


I 


ILLUSTRATED   UISTOIiY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  507 

jara,  about  500  leagues  distant.  In  military  affairs  it  was  for 
many  j^ears  subject  to  the  viceroyship  of  Mexico  (800  leagues), 
until  the  high  court  of  internal  provinces  was  established  in 
Chihuahua  ('240  leagues)."  * 

Under  the  Mexican   Government  ^Territorial  Deputation   a  Nullity  for 
Want  of  Authority     Delegates,  Etc.,  to  Mexican  Congress,  Etc. 

In  the  year  1827.  after  the  independence  of  Mexico,  the 
administration  of  justice  was  carried  on  in  accordance  with 
tlie  laws  of  the  Mexican  Republic.  Let  Attorney  Barreiro 
give  us  the  description  of  the  new  regime  of  government 
under  the  Mexican  Republic.     Barreiro  speaks: 

"Political  government  in  New  Mexico  is  entrusted  to  a 
chief  whom  the  government  appoints  and  removes  at  will, 
without  the  latter  having  a  formal  secretary;  in  general  it  is 
believed  that  the  political  chief  is  the  judge  of  alcaldes,  and 
is  also  an  appellate  tribunal  to  which  the  litigants  have 
recourse  to  ask  redress  from  judgments  which  they  con- 
sider unjust;  from  this  error  the  consequence  comes  that  the 
said  chief  is  always  busy  with  ridiculous  presentations  and 
has  his  hands  full  of  impertinent  complaints  against  the 
judges  (alcaldes);  if  a  political  chief  wishes  to  abuse  this 
authority,  conferred  on  him  by  ignorance,  how  many  evils 
will  he  not  cause?" 

Territorial  Deputation . 

"This  body  is  a  nullity,  because  it  has  not  enough  authority 
to  act  by  itself;  hence  it  follows  that  without  a  new  law  or 
regulation  under  a  different  principle,  the  powers  of  the 
deputation  which  it  possesses  now  by  chapter  20  of  the  decree 
of  June  23,  1813,— are  absolutely  useless,  some  because  they 
are  inconsistent  with  our  system  of  government,  others,  be- 
cause they  are  insufficient  for  the  needs  of  the  country. 

"I  decline  to  speak  to  the  government  more  extensively 
upon  this  particular  subject,  because  as  I  am  informed,  the 
territorial  deputy.  Presbyter  Antonio  Jos^  Martinez,  made 
an  exposition  which  the  deputation  approved  and  sent  over 
to  this  government  wherein   he  demonstrates  with  various 

*  Pino:     "History  Notes,"  p.  25. 


598 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


reasons  the  uselessness  of  said  deputation,  and  the  advan- 
tage, of  having  its  povt'ers  merged  into  those  of  the  aldermen 
and  political  chief."'  * 

The  above  remarks  show  the  systems  of  civil  and  political 
government,  until  the  year  1846,  when  General  Kearny 
established    temporarily  a    territorial    government,  about 


Right   Rev.  Antonio  Fourfhe^ii, 

Vli-ar  General  of  New  Mexico  since  1!S84.    Elevated 

to  the  ecclesiastical  dignity  of  Domestic 

Prelate  to  the  Pope,  June,  1911. 


which  the  reader  is  already  well  informed.  Before  taking 
up  again  the  form  of  government  which  obtained  in  New 
Mexico  after  Kearny  organized  the  territorial  government, 
it  is  proper  for  us  to  dwell,  as  far  as  existing  data  will  justify, 
into  the  recognition  given  New  Mexico  by  the  Mexican  cen- 
tral government  in  the  national  and  state  legislatures. 

*  Barreiro:  ''In  Hist.  Not."'  of  Pino.  p.  2(). 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OP    NEW    MEXICO.  o99 

New  Mexico  was,  it  seems,  at  all  times  represented  in  the 
National  Congress  by  a  delegate  ("Diputado  Territorial,") 
and  in  the  legislature  of  Durango  and  Chihuahua  (when  these 
twoand  New  Mexico  were  formed  intothe"Provincia  Interina" 
and  afterwards  when  New  Mexico  was  made  a  territory  but 
dependent  on  Chihuahua's  legislature)  by  senators  and  re- 
presentatives. Of  these  officials  and  the  manner  of  their 
election  we  will  now  occupy  our  attention.  The  reader  will 
bear  in  mind  that  we  are  dealing  with  incomplete,  informal, 
irregular,  and  chaotically  kept  records  and  confused  official 
documents,  now  in  the  archives  in  the  surveyor  general's 
office. 

Delegates  to  the  Cortes  (Congress). 

Imperial  was  the  first  form  of  government  of  Mexico  after 
its  independence  from  Spain,  consequently  its  first  national 
legislature  was  called  "Cortes,"  as  is  the  national  congress 
of  Spain  called  to  this  day. 

Lorenzo  Gutierrez. 

The  journal  of  the  "Diputaci6n  Provincial"  of  August  29, 
1822,  shows  that  on  that  day  "a  report  from  ex-Delegate— 
"Ex-Diputado" — from  this  Province,  Sr.  Lorenzo  Gutierrez, 
was  read  setting  forth  the  matters  transacted  by  him  in 
favor  of  this  Province  in  the  "Diputaci6n  de  Durango." 
Gutierrez  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained  was  not  a  resident  of 
New  Mexico.  There  is  nothing  to  show  when  and  how  he 
became  New  Mexico's  first  representative. 

Representatives  Perez  Serrano  Aguirre  and  Rivas. 

The  next  mention  of  representatives  is  made  at  the  session 
of  December  20,  1823,  when  Messrs.  Francisco  Perez  Serrano 
Aguirre  and  Francisco  Rivas  made  claim  for  the  reimburse- 
ment to  the  national  treasury  of  the  sum  of  $2,354.00,  which 
amount  had  been  paid  by  said  treasury  for  their  services 
"as  representatives  from  this  Province."  This  claim  was 
left  in  abeyance  until  the  session  of  January  9,  1824,  when 
it  was  refused.  In  this  last  mentioned  session,  Rivas  is  men- 
tioned as  "suplente"  (proxy).  Rivas'  claim  was  allowed 
afterwards  (session  of  April  24,  1824). 


600  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Juan  Bautista  Vigil,  Delegate  to  Durango. 
Again  on  April  12,  1824,  the  journal  of  the  "Diputacion"' 
shows  that  "it  was  agreed  that  Delegate  (Diputado)  Juan 
Bautista  Vigil  go  the  capital  of  the  'Estado  del  Norte' 
(Northern  State).  The  sum  of  $1,000  was  appropriated  to  pay 
for  his  services."  This  was  done  on  motion  of  Governor 
Bartolom^  Baca,  the  presiding  officer. 

The  Durango  Deputation  Elects  Delegate  and  Names  Manuel  Armijo  as 
Proxy — Suggestion  for  New  State. 
At  the  session  of  July  18,  1824,  a  communication  from  the 
"Diputacion"'  of  Durango  was  read  in  which  the  New  Mexico 
assembly  was  notified  that  the  Durango  assembly  (Diputa- 
ci6n)  had  elected  the  regular  delegate  for  New  Mexico  to  that 
assembly  and  Manuel  Armijo  as  proxj'.  A  decree  from  the 
Durango  assembly  was  also  read  in  which  it  was  provided 
that  Durango  should  be  erected  into  a  state  by  itself  and 
declaring  Emperor  Iturbide  an  outlaw  and  a  traitor. 

New  Mexico  is  Made  Territory — Delegate  Vigil's  Message — De'egate 
Alarid. 
At  the  session  of  August  10,  1824,  a  communication  from 
Juan  Bautista  Vigil  was  read  informing  the  assembly  of  the 
unexpected  change  and  mentioning  Jose  Rafael  Alarid,  who 
it  appears,  was  New  Mexico's  representative  in  Mexico.  The 
law  erecting  New  Mexico  into  a  territory  was  read  and  Vigil 
was  ordered  to  come  back  to  Santa  Fe. 

Don  Santiago  Abreu  Mentioned  as  Delegate. 

Again  the  New  Mexico  assembly  at  its  session  of  Novem- 
ber 18,  1824,  took  up  the  delegate  question.  At  that  session 
the  journal  shows  that  an  official  communication  "had  been 
sent  to  Delegate  (Diputado)  Dn.  Santiago  Abreu."  But  noth- 
ing can  be  found  on  the  date  and  manner  of  Abreu's  elec- 
tion, yet  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  was  then  New  Mexico's 
delegate  to  the  Mexican  Congress,  for  the  matter  is  again 
referred  to  at  the  session  held  on  December  17,  1824,  the 
jf)urnal  showing  that  "Mr,  President  referred  to  the  election 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO  601 

for  a  delejrato  to  the  Cortes  (National  Congress)  lield  by  the 
'ayuntamiento'  (municipaUty)  of  La  Cafiada  (Santa  Cruz 
precinct  in  northern  Santa  ¥e  county)  which  resulted  in 
favor  of  the  citizen,  Santiago  Abreu." 

Proxy  Rado  Asks  to  be  Named  Successor  to  Alarid. 

Manuel  de  Jesus  Rado  was  Alarid's  proxy,  the  journal  of 
the  assembly  of  March  9,  1825,  showing  that  Alarid's  term 
had  expired  and  Abreu  had  not  as  yet  reached  the  City  of 
Mexico,  whereupon  Rado  petitioned  the  New  Mexico  deputa- 
tion to  authorize  him  to  take  Alarid's  place,  the  deputation 
answered  him  in  the  negative,  citing  as  a  reason  the  fact  that 
the  supreme  government  had  suggested  the  continuation  in 
office  of  Delegate  Alarid  until  the  regularly  elected  delegate 
from  New  Mexico  should  take  his  seat,  or  until  the  House  of 
Representatives  should  decree  its  judgment  regarding  the 
investigation,  then  going  on,  of  an  infraction  of  the  election 
laws  at  the  election  held  in  October  of  the  previous  year,  1824. 

Jose  Antonio  Chavez  Elected  Delegate — His  Election  is  Contested. 

At  the  session  of  the  "Diputacion"  held  on  the  21st  of 
October,  1826,  page  133  of  the  journal  shows  that  Jose 
Antonio  Chavez  had  been  elected  delegate  to  the  Cortes;  a 
communication  from  said  Chavez  was  read  advising  the 
assembly  of  the  date  of  his  departure  for  Mexico,  and  bid- 
ding good  by  to  the  assembly,  but  the  assembly  declined  to 
act  upon  said  communication  until  the  contest  or  dispute 
over  his  election  was  settled  by  the  Cortes.  The  election 
was,  as  near  as  I  can  surmise  from  the  journals  of  the 
assembly  and  other  official  documents,  contested  by  Rafael 
Sarracino,  who  was  successful  as  will  appear  further  on. 
(This  is  the  logical  inference  drawn  by  me The  Author.) 

Sarracino  is  Declared  Elected. 
In  November,  1830,  at  a  session  held  on  that  day  a  communi- 
cation from  Sarracino  was  read,  the  journal  reads  (page  48) 
thus:  "A  communication  from  General  Rafael  Sarracino, 
addressed  to  H.  E.  (His  Excellency)  advising  him  of  his  elec- 
tion was  received,  etc." 


602  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP    NEW    MEXICO. 

Election  of  Senators- 
Nothing  more  is  recited  by  the  journals  of  the  assembly 
on  the  election  of  delegates  and  until  the  session  held  on 
May  9,  1845.  At  that  session  a  decree  of  the  secretary  of 
state,  dated  March  9,  1845,  was  presented.  The  decree 
authorized  the  departmental  assemblies  to  elect  a  senator  to 
succeed  Senator  Sebastian  Camacho.  The  election  was  had 
by  vote  (but  nothing  definite  is  stated  as  to  who  voted) 
Attorney  Juan  Nepomuceno  Urguides  was  elected 
unanimously.  Whether  this  senator,  or  his  predecessor  had 
been  residents  of  New  Mexico  nothing  appears  in  the  journal 
nor  to  what  legislature  the  senator  was  elected,  but  the 
presumption  is  reasonable  that  both  were  from  Chihuahua, 
and  that  New  Mexico  had  been  annexed  to  Chihuahua  for 
senatorial  purposes. 

On  the  first  day  of  October  of  the  same  year,  1845,  the  jour- 
nal shows  that  by  virtue  of  Article  34  of  "Bases  Originales" 
(Original  Basis)  the  following  named  were  elected  senators, 
but  no  showing  is  made  how  the  election  was  held,  for  what 
legislature  nor  the  tenure  of  office.  Senators  elected — Bishop 
Dn.  N.  Madrid,  Marcelino  Castaneda,  Bonillo  Arcillga, 
Manuel  de  la  Balda,  Pedro  Jose  Escalante,  Juan  Nepomuceno 
Urquides,  Juan  Antonio  Pescador,  Juan  Nepomuceno  Plores, 
Fernando  Ramirez,  Ignacio  Mijures,  Miguel  Zubiran,  Pedro 
Olivares,  Leandro  Siqueiros  and  Antonio  Ocha.  Each  of  these 
represented  a  separate  branch  of  industry,  all  branches,  from 
the  mercantile  to  the  agricultural  being  mentioned.  The 
journal,  though,  is  silent  as  to  manner  of  election  and  place 
of  residence  of  these  men.  Certain  it  is,  to  all  familiar  with 
our  history,  that  none  of  them  were  residents  of  New  Mexico, 
whence  the  conclusion  that  the  alleged  election  of  these  can- 
didates was  a  mere  ratification  of  their  election  in  the  State 
of  Chihuahua.  There  was  another,  the  last,  election  held  in 
New  Mexico  on  October  7,  1845,  for  delegate  and  members  of 
the  assembly,  but  further  reference  to  said  election  is  omitted 
because  special  mention  is  made  thereof  in  another  part  of 
this  work,  a  picture  of  the  certificate  of  said  election  being 
published  therewith,  as  the  reader  will  remember. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  60^ 

Father  Martinez,  Diego  Archuleta  and  Father  Juan  Felipe  Ortiz. 

There  is  a  general  belief  that  both  Father  Antonio  Jos4 
Martinez,  from  Taos,  N.  M.,  and  Diego  Archuleta  and  Rev. 
Juan  Felipe  Ortiz,  at  one  time  represented  New  Mexico.  I 
have  failed  in  all  mj'-  constant  investigations  to  tind  any 
record  of  their  election,  or  appointment,  as  such,  but  have 
every  reason  to  believe  that  such  was  the  case.  I  base  my 
judgment  first,  as  to  Father  Martinez,  on  the  reliable  infor- 
mation of  the  old  and  highly  respected  Captain  Chdcon,  of 
Trinidad,  Colorado,  who  in  a  letter  to  me  of  December,  1911, 
affirms  that  both  Martinez  and  Archuleta  had  been  delegates 
to  Mexico,  and  this  belief  is  supported,  as  to  Father  Mar- 
tinez, by  at  least  one  historian  of  repute;  Barreiro  in  his 
"Adiciones"  to  Pino's  "Noticias  Historicas,"  at  page  26,  com- 
menting on  the  powers  of  the  provincial  deputations,  cites 
Father  Martinez's  opinion  regarding  these  deputations,  and 
in  doing  so  says:  "The  Territorial  Deputy,  Presbyter 
Antonio  Jos^  Martinez,  etc.,  etc."  This  would  seem  conclu- 
sive proof  at  least  as  to  Father  Martinez.  Now,  as  to  Don 
Diego  Archuleta  and  Rev,  Juan  Felipe  Ortiz,  I  rely  on  the 
statement  made  in  a  letter  written  to  me  by  Don  Demetrio 
P^rez,  dated  Las  Vegas,  N.  M.,  Dec.  26,  1911,  in  which  he 
says  (translation):  "I  know  that  Don  Diego  was  delegate  to 
the  Mexican  Congress  after  Vicar  Juan  Felipe  Ortizs  term 
had  expired  as  such  delegate,  and  this  must  have  been  from 
1842  to  1843."* 


*NoTE— Don  Demetrio  is  now  a  very  old  man;  he  is  the  son  of 
Governor  Albino  Pdrez  (assassinated  in  IHlil,  ante)  was  ten  years  old 
when  he  came  to  New  Mexico,  in  the  spring-  of  the  year  1835.  He 
heard  his  father  read  his  first  inaugural  address  (so  he  states  it  tome 
in  another  letter)  in  Santa  F^,  when  he  assumed  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment, in  tlie  spring  of  18.35.  In  his  letter,  relative  to  Diego  Archuleta 
and  Father  Ortiz,  Don  Demetrio  says:  "Hespondiendo  a  su  pregunta 
si  s^  6  no,  si  el  linado  Padre  Martinez  y  Don  Diego  Archuleta,  linado 
tambien,  representaron  a  Nuevo  Mexico,  como  Diputados  6  Delegados 
en  el  Congreso  Mexicano.  Sd  que  Dn.  Diego  si  fue,  despues  que  el  Sr. 
Vicario  Don  Juan  Felipe  Ortiz  concluyo  su  termino  como  tal  diputado, 
y  esto  tal  vez  seria  en  los  anos  de  1842  6  184."J.  Nunca  supe  que  el  Padre 
Martinez  fuera  Diputado  al  Congreso  Mexicano.— The  Author. 


604  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Rev.  Lansing  Bloom. 

Rev.  Lansing  Bloom  has  made  a  special  study  of  "New 
Mexico  Under  the  Mexican  Government"'  and  the  reader  is 
referred  to  his  work  for  a  further  study  of  that  period. 
Mr.  Bloom  resides  in  Jemes,  N.  M. 

Under  the  American   Government. 

Besides  what  is  said  in  the  last  phrase  of  the  preceding 
paragraph,  from  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  civil 
government  under  the  organic  law  of  1851,  the  government 
was  established  in  the  following  manner: 

Courts  of  Justice. 

The  judicial  department  was  administered  by  four  courts 
which  are:  A  justice  of  the  peace  which  acts  in  each  precinct 
of  the  different  counties  for  a  term  of  two  years,  elected  by 
the  people.  A  prefect,  or  judge  of  probate,  also  elected  by 
the  people  for  two  years,  in  whose  charge  are  the  affairs  of 
the  administration  of  the  estate  of  deceased  persons,  the  dis- 
position of  orphan  minors  and  their  property.  A  district  court 
which  under  the  organic  act  was  presided  over  by  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  Territory,  but  is  now 
presided  over  by  a  regularly  elected  district  judge  under  the 
state  constitution,  each  district  consisting  of  several  counties. 
The  Territory  was  divided  into  seven  judicial  districts,  each 
district  having  the  following  counties :  First  district,  Santa  F^, 
Rio  Arriba,  San  Juan,  Taos  and  Torrance;  second  district, 
Bernalillo,  McKinley  and  Sandoval;  third  district,  Dona  Ana, 
Grant  and  Luna;  fourth  district,  San  Miguel,  Colfax,  Mora 
and  Union;  lifth  district,  Chaves,  Curry,  Eddy  and  Roosevelt; 
sixth  district,  Otero,  Guadalupe,  Lincoln  and  Quay;  seventh 
district,  Socorro,  Sierra  and  Valencia.*  The  clerk  of  the 
probate  court  in  each  county  acts  now,  under  the  state  con- 
stitution, besides  being  also  the  clerk  of  the  board  of  county 
commissioners,  as  clerk  for  the  district  court  within  his 
county.  The  other  ofiicials  being  one  district  attorney  for 
each  judicial  district. 

*  Under  the  state  constitution  New  Me.xico  has  been  redistricted. 
The  number  and  order  of  the  new  judicial  districts  is  mentioned  and 
g-iven  in  another  part  of  this  work.— The  Author. 


606  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Courts. 

The  last,  or  highest  court  of  justice  is  the  supreme"  court 
which  is  now  composed  of  three  judges  elected  by  the  people. 
Under  the  territorial  form  of  goverument  it  was  composed  of 
the  judges  of  the  respective  3udicial  districts,  one  of  them  was 
appointed  by  the  president  as  chief  justice  and  the  others  as 
associate  justices. 

Sheriffs  and  Constables. 

A  sheriff  is  elected  in  each  county  at  the  same  time  the 
other  county  officials  are  elected  for  a  term  of  four  years.  In 
like  manner  are  constables  elected  in  each  precinct  of  every 
county,  and  likewise  a  justice  of  the  peace  is  elected  in  each 
precinct.  The  duties  of  these  officials  are  prescribed  and 
defined  by  law. 

Political  Department — Counties. 

New  Mexico  is  now  divided  into  26  counties,  namely:  Ber- 
nalillo, organized  January  6,  1852,  with  its  county  seat  at  the 
city  of  Albuquerque;  Chaves,  organized  February,  1867, 
county  seat,  Roswell;  Colfax,  organized  January  25th,  1869, 
county  seat,  Raton;  Curry,  organized  February  25th,  1909, 
county  seat,  Clovis;  Dona  Ana,  organized  February,  1857, 
county  seat,  Las  Cruces;  Eddy,  organiz'^'d  February  25th, 
1887,  county  seat,  Carlsbad;  Grant,  organized  January  30th, 
1868,  count}^  seat.  Silver  City;  Guadalupe,  organized  February 
23,  1905,  county  seat,  Santa  Rosa;  Lincoln,  organized 
February  13,  1880,  county  seat,  Lincoln:  Luna,  organized 
March  16,  1901,  county  seat,  Deming;  McKinley,  organized 
February  23,  1899,  county  seat,  Gallup:  Mora,  organized 
January  6,  1852,  county  seat.  Mora:  Otero,  organized  January 
30,  1899,  county  seat,  Alamogordo;  Quay,  organized  February 
28,  1903,  county  seat,  Tucumcari;  Rio  Arriba,  organized 
January  6,  1852,  county  seat,  first.  Plaza  del  Alcalde,  acutally, 
Tierra  Amarilia;  Roosevelt,  organized  February  28th,  1903, 
county  seat,  Portales;  Sandoval,  organized  March  10,  1903, 
county  seat,  Bernalillo;  San  Juan,  organized  February  24> 
1887,  county  seat,  Aztec;  San  Miguel,  organized  January  6, 
1852,  county  seat,  Las  Vegas;  Santa  F6,  organized  January  6, 
1852,  county  seat,  Santa  F4;  Sierra,  organized  April  3,  1884, 


608  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

county  seat,  Hillsboro;  Socorro,  organized  January  0,  1852, 
county  seat,  Socorro;  Taos,  organized  January  6, 1852,  county 
seat,  Taos;  Torrance,  organized  March  16,  1903,  county  seat, 
Estancia;  Union,  organized  February  28,  1895,  county  seat, 
Clayton;  Valencia,  organized  January  6, 1852,  county  seat,  Los 
Lunas.  Each  one  of  these  counties  is  governed  by  a  board  of 
commissioners  elected  by  the  electors  (voters)  of  each  county. 

Legislative  and  Executive  Departments. 

The  laws  of  New  Mexico  have  been,  until  this  date,  enacted 
by  a  legislature  which  meets  every  two  years,  and  which,  in 
the  first  years  of  the  American  government,  met  once  every 
year.  It  was  composed  of  24  members  of  the  house  and  12 
senators  or  members  of  the  legislative  council,  elected  by 
the  voters  of  the  Territory.  The  acts  of  said  legislature  did 
not  become  laws  until  they  received  the  sanction  of  the  gov- 
ernor, subject  also  to  the  approval  of  congress.  Congress 
authorized  from  the  national  treasury  the  per  diem  and 
mileage  paid  to  its  members.  Congress  passed  in  the  year 
of  1911,  an  act  enabling  New  Mexico  to  erect  itself  into  a 
state,  the  legislature,  which  met  in  Santa  F6  on  the  11th  of 
March,  1912,  was  the  first  State  Legislature.  The  legislatures 
during  the  last  sixty  years  of  the  territorial  government 
numbered  88. 

The  executive  government  is  in  the  hands  of  the  governor 
and  the  secretary  of  the  state  who  are  under  the  State  Con- 
stitution elected  by  the  people  (see  state  election  post).  Gov- 
ernor William  J.  Mills  and  Secretary  Nathan  Jaffa  were  the 
last  officials  under  the  territorial  law  and  Mr.  William  C. 
McDonald  the  first  State  Governor,  and  Mr.  Ezequiel  C.  de 
Baca  the  first  Lieutenant  Governor,  both  Democrats,  elected 
at  the  first  state  election,  held  on  the  7th  day  of  November, 
1911,  (post)  over  their  opponents,  H.  O.  Bursum  and 
Malaquias  Martinez,  Republicans. 

List  of  Governors  Under  Military  Appointment. 
Charles  Bent,  (appointed    by   General    Kearny)    1846-47; 
Donaciano  Vigil,  (appointed  by    Col.    Price)  1847-48;  J.  M. 
Washington,  commander  of  the  department,   1848-49;  John 
Munroe,  commandant  of  the  department,  1849-51. 


ILLUSTKATEL)    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  (i09 

Under  the  Organic  Law. 

James  S.  Calhoun,  ibol-j'i;  John  Greiner,  (secretary  of  the 
territory  ad  interim)  lSb'2:  William  Carr  Lane,  1852-58;  Davis 
Meriwether,  1853-57;  Abraham  Rencher,  1857-61;  Henry 
Connelly,  1861-66;  Robert  B.  Mitchell,  1866-69;  William  A. 
Pile,  1869-71;  Marsch  Giddings,  1871-75;  WilHam  G.  Ritch, 
(secretary  of  government  ad  interim)  1875;  Samuel  B.  Axtell, 
1875-78;  Lew  Wallace,  1878-81;  Lionel  A.  Sheldon,  1881-85; 
Edmund  G.  Ross,  1885-89;  L.  Bradford  Prince,  1889  93; 
William  T.  Thornton,  1893-97;  Miguel  A.  Otero,  Jr.,  1897-1906; 
Herbert  J.  Hagerman,  1906-07;  James  W.  Raynolds,  (secre- 
tary of  government  ad  interim)  1907;  George  Curry,  1907- 
10:  W.  J.  Mills,  1910-11. 

Secretaries  of  the  Territory. 

Donaciano  Vigil,  1846-51;  Hugh  H.  Smith,  1851;  William  S. 
Allen,  1851-52;  John  Greiner,  1852-53;  William  S.  Messervy, 
1853-54;  W.  H.  H.  Davis,  1854-57;  A.  M.  Jackson,  1857-61; 
Miguel  A.  Otero,  Sr.,  1861;  James  H.  Holmes,  1861-62;  W.  F. 
M.  Arny,  1862-67;  H.  H.  Heath,  1867-70;  Henry  Wetter, 
1870-72;  F.  W.  Arny,  1872-73;  Wm.  G.  Ritch,  1873-84;  Samuel 
A.  Losh,  1884-85;  Geo.  W.  Lane,  1885-89;  B.  M.  Thomas, 
1889-92;  L.  Alexander,  1892-93;  Lorin  Miller,  1893-97;  Geo.  H. 
Wallace,  1897-1901;  Jas.  W.  Raynolds,  1901-07;  Nathan  Jaffa, 
1907-12,  last  under  the  territorial  government;  Antonio  J, 
Lucero,  first  secretary  of  state,  elected  November  7,  1911, 
entered  into  the  performance  of  his  official  duties  in  Janu- 
ary, 1912,  for  five  years. 

Chief  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court — Appointed. 

Joab  B.  Houghtori,  1846  (appointed  by  General  Kearny); 
Grafton  Baker,  1851;  J.  J.  Davenport,  1858;  Kirby  Benedict, 
1858;  John  P.  Slough,  1866;  John  S.  Watts,  1868;  Joseph  G. 
Palen,  1868;  Henry  L.  Waldo,  1876;  Chas.  McCandless,  1878; 
L.  Bradford  Prince,  1879;  Samuel  B.  Axtell,  1882;  Wm.  Vin- 
cent, 1885;  Elisha  V.  Long,  1885;  Jas.  O'Brien,  1889:  Thos.  J. 
Smith,  1893;  Wm.  J.  Mills,  1898;  W.  H.  Pope,  1910-1911,  last 
under  territorial  government;  Clarence  J.  Roberts  first 
State  Chief  Justice  (who  was  elected  November  7,  1911,  at 


610  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

first  State  election  with  Frank  W.  Parker  and  Richard  H. 
Hanna  as  judges  of  the  first  State  Supreme  Court)  selected 
by  his  associates  as  Chief  Justice,  January  11,  1912,  (see 
"organization  of  the  first  State  Supreme  Court.'"  Post). 

Territorial  Delegates  to  Congress. 
Messervy  and  Weightman  already  mentioned,  Jose  Manuel 
Gallegos,  1853-55;  Miguel  A.  Otero,  Sr.,  1856-61;  John  L. 
Watts,  1861-63;  Francisco  Perea,  1863-65;  J.  Franco  Chavez, 
1865-69;  Chas.  P.  Clever,  1869-71;  J.  Franco  Chavez,  1871, 
(contested  Clever's  election  and  vpas  successful);  Jose  Manuel 
Gallegos,  1871-73;  Stephen  B,  Elkins,  1873-77;  Trinidad  Ro- 
mero,  1877-79;  Mariano  S.  Otero,  1879-81;  Tranquilino  Luna, 
1881-83;  F.  A.  Manzanares,  1883-85;  Antonio  Joseph,  1885-95; 
Thomas  B.  Catron,  1895-97;  H.  B.  Fergusson  1897-99;  Pedro 
Perea,  1899-01;  Bernard  S.  Rodey,  1901-05:  William  H.  An- 
drews, 1905-11,  last  delegate. 

Territorial  Legislatures  and  Their  Presiding  Officers. 

1847,  (under  military  government)  Antonio  Sandoval,  Pres- 
ident of  the  Senate;  William  S.  Angey,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1851,  (under  civil  government)  Antonio  Jose  Martinez,  Pres- 
ident of  the  Senate;  Theodore  D.  Wheaton,  Speaker  of  the 
House. 

1853,  James  H.  Quinn,  President  of  the  Senate;  Theodore 
D.  Wheaton,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1855,  Jose  Antonio  Baca  y  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate; 
Facundo  Pino,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1855,  (second  session)  Facundo  Pino,  President  of  the  Sen- 
ate; Celedonio  Valdez,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1856,  Facundo  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate;  Jos6  Serafin 
Ramirez,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1857,  Donaciano  Vigil,  President  of  the  Senate;  Merrill 
Ashrust,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1858,  Lafayette  Head,  President  of  the  Senate;  Jose  G 
Gallegos,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1859,  Jos6  G.  Gallegos,  President  of  the  Senate;  Levi 
Keithly,  Speaker  of  the  house,  part  of  the  session,  and  Celso 
C.  Medina,  the  last  part  of  the  session. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  Gil 

1H()0,  J()s6  G.  Gallegos,  President  of  the  Senate;  Jose  Man- 
uel Gallegos,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

18tU,  Facundo  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate;  Jos^  Manuel 
Gallegos,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

18(52,  Facundo  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate;  Jos6  Manuel 
Gallegos,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1863,  Diego  Archuleta,  President  of  the  Senate;  Vicente 
Garcia,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1864,  Diego  Archuleta,  President  of  the  Senate;  Pedro  Val- 
dez,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

i860,  Miguel  E.  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate;  Samuel 
Ellison,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1866,  Miguel  E,  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate;  R.  M. 
Stephens,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1867,  Anastacio  Sandoval,  President  of  the  Senate:  Jos6 
Manuel  Gallegos,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1868,  Severo  Baca,  President  of  the  Senate;  R.  M. 
Stephens,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1869,  Nicolas  Pino,  President  of  the  Senate;  Gregorio  N. 
Otero,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1871,  Severo  Baca,  President  of  the  Senate;  Milnor 
Rudulph,  Speaker  of  the  House,  part  of  session,  Gregorio  N. 
Otero  the  other  part. 

1878,  Pedro  Sanchez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Gregorio  N. 
Otero,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1875,  Pedro  Sanchez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Roman  Baca, 
Speaker  of  the  House. 

1878,  Santiago  Baca,  President  of  the  Senate;  Juan  B. 
Patron,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1880,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Rafael 
Romero,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1882,  Severo  Baca,  President  of  the  Senate;  Pedro  Sanchez, 
Speaker  of  the  House. 

1881,  Jos6  Armijo  y  Vigil,  President  of  the  Senate;  Amado 
Chavez,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1886,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Manuel 
C.  de  Baca,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1888,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Albert 
J.  Fountain,  Speaker  of  the  House. 


612  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

1890,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  William 
Burns,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1892,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  A.  L. 
Branch,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1894,  George  Curry,  President  of  the  Senate;  William 
Dame,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1897,  Antonio  Joseph,  President  of  the  Senate;  W.  H.  H. 
Llewellyn,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1899,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Max- 
imiliano  Luna,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1901,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Ben- 
jamin M.  Read  (author  of  this  work),  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1903,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate;  Nestor 
Montoya,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1905,  John  S.  Clark,  President  of  the  Senate;  Carl  A.  Dalies, 
Speaker  of  the  House. 

1907,  Charles  A.  Spiess,  President  of  the  Senate:  Roman 
L.  Baca,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

1909,  Charles  A.  Spiess,  President  of  the  Senate,  Epime- 
nio  Miera,  Speaker  of  the  House. 

This  was  the  last  legislature  under  the  Territorial  gov- 
ernment. 

Bar  Association. 

The  Bar  of  New  Mexico,  has  over  150  attorneys.  In  the 
year  1887,  on  the  19th  of  July,  the  Bar  Association  of  New 
Mexico  was  organized  with  the  following  socii :  H.  L.  Waldo, 
W.  C.  Hazeldine,  W.  B.  Childers,  Wm.  Breeden,  E.  L. 
Bartlett,  E.  C.  Wade,  F.  Downs,  W.  H.  Whiteman,  L.  B. 
Prince,  Max  Frost,  F.  W.  Clancy,  J.  P.  Victory,  E  A.  Fiske, 
W.  M.  Berger,  B.  M.  Read  (the  author  of  this  work),  W.  H. 
Patterson,  C.  H.  Gildersleeve,  Joseph  Bell  and  Neil  Field  — 
its  presidents  being:  H.  L.  Waldo,  F.  W.  Clancy,  E.  L. 
Bartlett,  Richard  H.  Hanna,  Judge  Vincent,  Simon  B.  New- 
comb,  Frank  Springer,  Frank  W.  Clancy,  William  C. 
Hazeldine,  A.  B.  Elliott,  L.  A.  Jones,  James  G.  Fitch,  Thomas 

B.  Catron,  N.  B.  Field,  A.   B.  Fall,  R.  E.   Twitchell,   E.  A. 
Fiske,  A.  B.  Freeman,  W.  B.  Childers,  A.  H.  Harllee,  William 

C.  Rigley,  G.  A.  Richardson,  A.  B.  Renehan,  A.  B.  McMillan, 
in  1910. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OP    NKW    MIOXICO.  613 

Celebration  of  Marshall  s  Anniversary. 

On  February  4th,  liKH,  the  supreme  court  of  the  Territory 
adopted  a  resolution  in  which  tlie  presiding  officers  of  the 
legislature  which  was  then  in  session,  Messrs.  J.  Francisco 
Chavez,  President  of  the  Senate,  and  Benjamin  M.  Read, 
Speaker  of  the  House,  were  requested  the  use  of  the  legisla- 
tive halls,  asking,  at  the  same  time,  said  officers  to  appoint, 
in  their  respective  bodies,  an  orator  to  deliver  an  address  on 
the  night  of  that  day,  commemorative  of  the  chief  justice  of 
the  supreme  court.  The  invitation  was  accepted,  the  Senate 
appointing  its  president,  J.  Francisco  Chavez,  and  the  House 
its  speaker,  Benjamin  M.  Read.  On  the  night  of  that  day  the 
exercises  were  had  in  the  Capitol  building,  in  the  hall  of 
representatives,  in  which  the  appropriate  addresses  for  the 
occasion  were  delivered  by  Chief  Justice  William  J.  Mills, 
Mr.  Frank  Springer,  member  of  the  senate,  Don  Francisco 
Chavez,  president  of  the  same  body,  and  Benjamin  M.  Read, 
speaker  of  the  house,  and  Mr.  E.  A.  Fiske. 

Statehood  Question — History  of  the  Struggle — First  and  Second  State- 
hood Conventions. 

The  war  with  Mexico  closed,  as  we  have  already  seen,  with 
the  treaty  of  peace  made  at  the  City  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo, 
on  the  2nd  of  February,  1848.  That  same  year,  in  the  month 
of  October,  the  first  convention'met  in  Santa  ¥6  on  the  tenth 
of  the  same  month,  and  the  people  declared  through  their 
repi'esentatives  in  that  convention,  (ante),  in  favor  of  state- 
hood. That  was  the  first  step  taken.  The  next  step  was 
taken,  as  it  has'  been  said  in  another  part  of  this  work,  in 
June,  1850,  when  the  second  constitutional  convention  met  in 
Santa  F6,  in  which  the  officers  of  state  were  elected  (ante). 
The  steps  taken  by  the  people  to  secure  statehood  were 
prompted  first,  by  the  desire  of  exercising  the  full  rights  of 
citizenship;  secondly,  by  the  promise  made  them  by  General 
Kearny,  when  he  took  possession  of  New  Mexico  in  1846, 
(ante)  and,  finally,  by  article  9th  of  the  treaty  of  peace  already 
mentioned,  with  the  Mexican  Republic,  which  article  reads 
as  follows: 

"The  Mexicans  in  the  aforesaid  Territories,   who  shall  not 


614  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

retain  the  character  of  citizens  of  the  Mexican  Republic,  as 
stipulated  in  the  foregoing  article,  shall  be  incorporated  in 
the  Union  of  the  United  States,  and  shall  be  admitted  in 
opportune  time  (at  the  discretion  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States)  to  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  rights  of  citizens 
of  the  United  States,  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of 
the  constitution,  and,  in  the  meanwhile,  they  shall  be  pro- 
tected in  the  enjoyment  of  their  liberty  and  property,  and 
secured  in  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion  without  any 
restriction." 

From  the  year  1850  to  the  year  of  1911,  the  struggle  to 
obtain  the  fulfillment  of  that  promise  was  continuous,  and,  it 
may  be  said,  almost  desperate.  Almost  all  the  Presidents  of 
the  United  States,  from  that  epoch  down,  had  recommended 
the  fulfillment  of  that  article  of  the  treaty  with  Mexico.  The 
two  political  parties,  the  Democratic  and  the  Republican, 
promised  very  frequently  the  approval  of  an  enabling  act, 
but  their  declarations  were  mere  empty  promises.  The  New 
Mexico  legislature  began  to  petition  Congress  on  the  subject 
ever  since  1817.  In  1870  the  legislature  of  the  Territory 
decreed  that  a  constitution  should  be  submitted  to  the  vote 
of  the  people  for  their  adoption,  but  nothing  was  done.  In 
1872,  the  legislature  again  provided  that  the  constitution  that 
had  been  prepared  in  1870,  should  be  re-submitted  to  the 
people,  but  the  time  or  limit  which  the  law  fixed  for  the 
counting  of  the  votes  having  expired,  the  election  was  of  no 
effect  and  the  movement  failed  once  more  by  effect  of  the  law. 

Elkin's  Mistake. 

In  the  year  1875,  Mr.  Stephen  B.  Eikins  (afterwards  Sen- 
ator in  the  National  Congress  from  the  State  of  West 
Virginia)  was  delegate  from  New  Mexico  in  Congress,  man- 
aged to  obtain  an  enabling  act,  w^hich,  after  being  already 
certain  of  passage  by  both  legislative  bodies,  failed  through 
an  indiscretion  of  Mr.  Eikins.  At  the  critical  moment,  the 
passage  of  a  law,  which  affected  the  interests  ot  the  southern 
states  was  being  acted  on,  and  as  the  members  of  Congress 
from  that  section  of  the  Union  favored  the  admission  of  New 
Mexico,  Mr.  Eikins  inadvertently  made  some  remarks  which 
wounded  the  feelings  of  the  members  of  the  southern  states, 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP^    NP:W    MEXICO.  HI 5 

they,  said   members,  next   castinj^:   their   votes   against  the 
enabhng  act. 

In  1HS8,  another  enabling  act  was  introduced  by  Repre- 
sentative William  M.  Springer,  of  Illinois,  with  the  same 
result  as  Mr.  Klkins'act. 

Third  Statehood  Convention,   1889. 

In  1889,  the  New  Mexico  Legislature  authorized  the  re- 
assembling of  another  constitutional  convention  at  Santa  F6; 
the  election  for  delegates  to  said  convention  was  held;  the 
delegates  assembled  in  Santa  F«^,  remaining  in  session  from 
September  3  to  September  21.  A  constitution  prepared  by 
said  convention  was  adopted  by  the  majority  of  the  people 
but  Congress  refused  to  approve  it. 

Other  delegates,  among  them,  Don  Antonio  Joseph,  T.  B, 
Catron,  H.  B.  Pergusson,  Tranquilino  Lunaand  Pedro  Perea, 
tried  during  their  respective  terms  in  Congress,  to  obtain 
the  adoption  of  a  constitution,  all  getting  the  same  result — a 
huge  failure. 

President    Taft  Succeeds  in   Having  Congress   Approve  an    Enabling 
Act,  1910. 

Finally,  in  the  year  1910,  New  Mexico  obtained  justice  at 
the  hands  of  the  American  government.  Owing  to  the  con- 
tinuous and  very  valuable  services  of  New  Mexico's  Delegate 
in  Congress,  William  H.  Andrews,  aided  by  the  foremost  men 
in  the  Territory  of  both  political  parties,  New  Mexico  man- 
aged to  keep  up  the  agitation  in  favor  of  statehood  for  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona,  until  President  Taft,  in  compliance  with 
the  promise  previously  made  by  the  Republican  party  in  its 
national  convention,  urged,  recommended  and  demanded 
from  Congress  the  adoption  of  an  enabling  act,  which  was 
approved  June  20,  of  that  year.  It  is,  then,  only  just,  to 
recognize  the  debt  New  Mexico  owes  to  Mr.  W.  H.  Taft,  the 
President,  for  his  valuable  and  timely  co-operation.  In  virtue 
of  that  law,  the  governor  of  New^  Mexico,  issued  on  the  29th 
day  of  June,  1910,  his  proclamation  for  an  election  of  100 
delegates  to  the  constitutional  convention,  in  accordance  with 
an  apportionment  made  by  the  governor,«.the  chief  justice  and 


616  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

the  secretary  of  the  Territory  on  the  28th  of  the  month  of 
June.  Said  election  was  to  be  held  on  the  6th  of  September, 
1910. 

First  Statehood  Election — Election  of  Delegates. 

The  election  was  held  on  Tuesday,  September  6,  1910,  in 
accordance  with  the  proclamation,  and  the  following  dele- 
gates were  elected: 

Francis  E.  Wood,  Herbert  F.  Raynolds,  Nestor  Montoya, 
E.  S.  Stover,  A.  A.  Sedillo,  M.  L.  Stern,  Anastacio  Gutierrez, 
H.  B.  Fergusson,  Green  B.  Patterson,  G.  A.  Richardson, 
John  I.  Hinkle,  Emmett  Patten,  C.  J.  Roberts,  Norman  Bart- 
lett,  Geo.  Brown,  T.  H.  O'Brien,  Chas.  Springer,  Francisco 
Gauna,  T.  J.  Mabry,  J.  W.  Childers,  Frank  W.  Parker,  Isi- 
doro  Armijo,  W.  E.  Garrison,  C.  E.  Miller,  M.  P.  Skeen,  C.R. 
Brice,  W.  D.  Murray,  A.  H.  Harllee,  J.  B.  Gilchrist,  W.  B. 
Walton,  J.  G.  Clancy,  Raymundo  Harrison,  Salome  Martinez, 
Tranquilino  Labadie,  John  Capping,  J.  J.  Aragon,  A.  H. 
Hudspeth,  J.  N.  Upton,  Gregory  Page,  Juan  Navarro,  Daniel 
Cassidy,  Anastacio  Medina, Emanuel  Lucero,  Fred  S.  Brown, 
A.  B.  Fall,  J.  A.  Lawson,  Geo.  E.  Moffett,  Reed  Holloman, 
Chas.  Kohn,  C.  F.  Saxon,  J.  L.  House,  C.  C.  Davidson,  T.  D. 
Burns,  V.  Jaramillo,  J.  A.  Lucero,  PerfectoEsquivel,  Samuel 
Eldodt,  J.  H.  Crist,  W.  E.  Lindsey,  James  Hall,  Alejandro 
Sandoval,  Epimenio  Miera,  R.  W.  Heflin,  M.  D.  Taylor,  C. 
M.  Crampton,  J.  M.  Cunningham,  Harry  W.  Kelly,  S.  B. 
Davis,  A.  Roybal,  Luciano  Maes,  C.  A.  Spiess,  E.  Romero, 
.Margarito  Romero,  N.  Segura,  T.  B.  Catron,  J.  D.  Sena,  G. 
W.  Prichard,  B.  F.  Pankey,  Victor  Ortega,  F.  H.  Winston,  E. 
D.  Titman,  A.  Abeytia,  F.  Romero,  H.  O.  Bursum,  H.  M. 
Dougherty,  J.  G.  Fitch,  N.  McKean,  Malaquias  Martinez,  S. 
Hartt,  O.  G.  Martinez,  W.  Mcintosh,  A.  B.  McDonald,  Acasio 
Gallegos,  E.  Gallegos,  C.  Vigil,  F.  C.  Fields,  G.  W.  Baker, 
Solomon  Luna,  J.  Becker,  Silvestre  Mirabal.  • 

Fourth  and  Last  Convention. 

The  convention  met  in  Santa  Fe  on  the  8rd  day  of  October, 
1910,  presided  over  by  C.  A.  Spiess,  with  Geo.  W.  Armijo, 
secretary,  and  Rev.  Julius  Hartman  as  chaplain  and  adopted 
a  republican  constitution,  in  its  form  of  goverment. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOIiY    OF    NKW    MP^XICO.  ()17 

Election  on  the  Adoption  or  Rejection — Result  of  the  Vole  Official 
Canvass  Constitution  Adopted  Covernor  Mills  Coes  to  Wash- 
ington. 

On  January  -1,  1011,  the  constitution  was  submitted  to  the 
vote  of  the  people,  and  was  approved  by  a  large  majority  of 
votes. 

The  official  returns  of  the  vote,  for  and  against  the  consti- 
tution in  the  election  of  January  21,  1911,  were  canvassed  by 
Governor  Mills,  Secretary  Jaffa,  and  Chief  Justice  Pope, 
and  showed  that  the  total  vote  was  45,141,  of  which  31,742 
were  cast  for  the  constitution  and  13,399  against  it,  the  total 
majority  for  the  constitution  being  18,433.  The  counties 
of  Lincoln,  Roosevelt,  San  Juan  and  Sierra  gave  small 
majorities  against  the  constitution,  the  total  majority  in  the 
four  counties  against  it  being  483. 

The  canvass  of  the  vote  commenced  at  10  o'clock  in  the 
morning  in  the  ofdce  of  the  secretary,  and  closed  a  little 
afternoon-time.  All  the  poll-books  were  examined,  and  the 
totals  were  added  by  means  of  an  adding  machine.  Gov- 
ernor Mills  received  a  certified  copy  of  the  returns  by 
counties  and  precincts,  and  with  them  a  copy  of  the  consti- 
tution, in  order  to  deliver  them  to  President  Taft.  The 
governor  started  on  Monday,  February  6th,  for  Washington 
where  he  arrived  Thursday,  February  9,  1911,  and  delivered 
the  said  certified  copy  of  the  constitution  to  the  President  the 
same  day. 

President  Taft  approved  the  constitution,  after  having 
heard  the  protests  against  same  presented  by  the  Prohibi- 
tionists, on  February  24,  1911,  and  on  the  same  day  sent  the 
following  message  to  congress: 

President's  Message. 

"To  the  senate  and  house  of  representatives: 
"The  act  which  gave  the  people  of  New  Mexico  authority 
to  write  a  constitution  and  organize  a  state  government  so 
that  its  inhabitants  might  be  admitted  to  the  union,  with 
rights  and  privileges  equal  to  those  granted  to  the  original 
states,  approved  June  20,  1910,  provides  that  after  the  con- 
stitution has  been  approved,  in  accordance  with  the  provi- 
sions expressed  in  that  act,   the  same  be  submitted  to  the 


618  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

President  and  Congress  of  the  United  States,  by  a  certified 
copy  of  same,  for  the  President  and  Congress  to  approve,  or 
if  the  President  approves  and  Congress  does  not  disapprove 
it  during  the  next  regular  session  of  that  body,  that,  in  such 
event  the  President  shall  give  the  governor  certified  infor- 
mation of  the  result,  and  that  he,  the  governor  shall  then 
publish  his  proclamation  for  the  election  of  officers  of  state 
and  county,  etc. 

"The  constitution  has  been  presented  to  me  drav^^n  in 
accordance  with  the  act  of  Congress,  which  has  been  approved 
by  the  electors  of  New  Mexico,  and  a  certified  copy  of  same 
has  been  also  presented  to  Congress,  that  it  may  be 
approved  in  conformity  with  what  the  act  provides. 

"As  the  'Eaabling  Act'  expressly  requires  the  action  of  the 
President,  I  herewith  transmit  to  you  a  copy  of  the  constitu- 
tion, which  has  been  already  presented  to  Congress,  as  I  have 
been  informed,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  act, 
which  has  received  ray  formal  approval. 

Wm.  H.  Taft. 

From  the  White  House,  February  24,  1911." 

Congress  Adjourns  Without  Approving  the  Constitution. 
In  the  last  momemts  of  the  regular  session  of  the  sixty- 
first  congress,  the  4th  of  March,  1911,  the  senate  took  in 
consideration  the  approval  of  the  resolution  which  the  day 
before  had  been  approved  by  the  house,  whereby  the  consti- 
tution of  New  Mexico  had  been  declared  approved.  Senator 
Owen,  of  Oklahoma,  presented  an  amendment  to  the  reso- 
lution which  included  the  constitution  of  Arizona.  Following 
a  very  warm  discussion  the  vote  was  taken,  with  a  result  of 
45  votes  against,  and  39  votes  in  favor  of  approving  the 
amendment.  The  effect  of  the  disapproval  of  the  amend- 
ment was  to  delay  the  admission  of  New  Mexico  to  the  Union. 
The  constitution  having  been  approved  by  the  President,  re- 
mained in  force,  and  it  but  needed  the  approval  or  disap- 
proval by  the  next  Congress. 

Again  a  Ray  of   Hope  Appears— The  Flood  Resolution. 

Congress  met  in  special  session  in  April,  1911,  and  at  once 
the  tactics  were  resumed  looking  for  the  success  of  New  Mex- 


•620  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

ico's  admission,  but  on  account  of  the  discord  among  some 
of  the  political  coxcombs  of  the  Territory,  a  most  bitter  light 
was  inaugurated,  which  resulted  in  the  adoption  of  amend- 
ments by  the  house  of  representatives  with  which  the  senate 
did  not  agree.  From  that  month,  (April,  1911),  the  fight  con- 
tinued to  the  month  of  July,  (1911),  when  the  house  by  a  very 
large  majority  approved  a  resolution  drawn  by  Congressman 
Flood,  of  Virginia,  whereby  the  admission  of  New  Mexico  and 
Arizona  was  authorized  on  condition  that  New  Mexico  in  its 
election  of  state  officers  should  submit  to  the  people  the 
proposition  that  the  constitution  might  be  amended  with 
less  difficulty  than  was  provided  in  the  original  constitution. 
That  resolution  was  rejected  by  the  senate,  and  another  one 
offered  by  Senator  Nelson  as  a  substitute. 

The  Nelson  Resolution. 
The  Nelson  resolution  authorized  the  admission  of  New 
Mexico  unconditionally  ratifying  the  expression  of  approval 
by  the  18,000  votes  majority  given  in  the  Territory  in  favor 
of  the  constitution.  It  also  authorized  the  admission  of 
Arizona,  eliminating  from  its  constitution  the  clause  in 
reference  to  the  recall.  The  Nelson  resolution  kindled  the 
political  flame,  and  embittered  the  dispositions  of  the  legis- 
lators to  such  a  pitch  that  for  several  days  the  question  was 
warmly  debated,  the  question  reaching  its  climax  on  August 
10.  by  the  rejection  of  the  Nelson  resolution,  and  the  appro- 
val of  the  Flood  resolution  with  slight  amendments.  The 
House  concurred  the  next  day  (August  11)  with  the  action 
of  the  senate.  The  presiding  officers  of  the  house  and 
senate  then  signed  the  resolution  and  the  same  was  at  once 
forwarded  to  President  Taft  for  his  approval  or  disapproval. 

Taft  Disapproves  the  Resolution. 

On  August  loth,  Taft  returned  the  resolution  to  congress 
accompanied  by  a  message  in  which  he  gave  his  reasons  for 
not  approving  it,  namely: 

That  because  of  the  clause  in  reference  to  the  recall  in  the 
constitution  of  Arizona  he  refused  to  approve  the  resolution; 
and  that,  with  regard  to  New  Mexico,  he  considered  a  consti- 
tution approved  by  a  majority  of  over  18,000  votes  as  one  of 


622  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  best  constitutions  of  the  nation,  and  that  he  had  already 
previously  approved  it  with  great  pleasure,  but  that,  inas- 
much as  the  admission  of  New  Mexico  was  now  included  in 
the  Flood  resolution,  he  could  not  approve  it. 

New  Attempt — The  Smith  Resolution. 

On  the  same  day  (August  15)  Senator  Smith  presented 
another  resolution,  more  or  less  identical  with  the  Nelson 
resolution  for  the  admission  of  both  territories.  The  result 
was  the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  both  bodies  (August 
16)  with  the  object  of  expunging  from  the  Flood  resolution 
the  matter  that  was  repugnant  to  the  recalcitrants  of  both 
parties  and  to  President  Taft.  Said  committee  met  on  the 
17th,  and,  following  a  long  and  animated  discussion,  it 
approved  the  proposition  of  eliminating  entirely  the  alluded 
clause  from  Arizona's  constitution,  and  in  leaving  the  proviso 
which  authorized  a  new  vote  in  New  Mexico  as  to  whether  or 
not,  our  constitution  should  be  so  amended  as  to  be  more 
easily  altered,  changed  or  modified.  The  committee  sent  its 
report  of  what  had  been  agreed  to,  to  the  senate  on  the  same 
day;  the  report  was  received, and  submitted  to  the  considera- 
tion of  the  senate  the  next  day,  Friday  the  18th.  On  that  day 
the  senate  approved  the  resolution  by  a  vote  of  58  to  8,  and 
was  sent  to  the  house  on  the  same  da3^ 

The  House  Approves  the  Resolution. 

On  Saturday,  August  19th,  in  a  debate,  full  to  overflowing 
with  criminations  and  recriminations,  the  house  unanimously 
approved  the  resolution.  Without  loss  of  time  it  was  signed 
by  the  presiding  officers  of  both  bodies,  and  was  then  for- 
warded to  President  Taft  for  his  approval. 

August  21,  1911— A  Glorious  Day. 

Oil  Monday,  August  21,  A.  D.  1911,  at  three  o'clock  p.  m., 
President  Taft  affixed  his  signature  to  the  resolution  giving 
us  thereby  our  complete  political  autonomy,  jand  authorizing 
the  appearance  of  our  star  in  the  beautiful  and  glorious  Amer- 
ican banner,  closing  thus  the  grand  tight  which  for  sixty-three 
consecutive  years  our  patriotic  and  suffering  people  had  sus- 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  623 

tained,  while  the  American  government  also  was  tinally 
fulfilling  the  solemn  obligation  which  it  had  imposed  upon 
itself  by  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo.  The  21st  day  of 
August,  therefore,  shall  shine  in  the  annals  of  our  history 
with  the  same  effulgence  that  issues,  from  the  star,  in  our 
flag,  which  represents  our  political  entity  in  the  American 
federation. 

Official  Notification. 

On  the  26th  of  August,  (1'->11)  Governor  Mills  received 
semi-official  advices  from  President  Taft  to  the  effect  that  the 
enabling  act  was  in  force,  and  ordering  him  to  issue  a  pro- 
clamation for  the  election  of  State  officers.  On  the  same 
day  Governor  Mills  received  the  following  telegram  from  the 
President. 

President  Taft's  Message  of  Good  Wishes. 

"White  House,  Washington,  D.  C,  August  21. 
"My  Dear  Governor  Mills, — I  acknowledge  receipt  of  your 
telegram  of  this  morning,  and  I  feelingly  thank  you  for  your 
kindly  expression,  regarding  my  approval  of  the  statehood 
bill  as  revised. 

"I  felt  a  great  pleasure  in  accelerating,  with  my  signature, 
the  admission  to  the  federation,  and  cherish  the  best  wishes 
for  the  wellfare  and  prosperity  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico, 
which  very  soon  will  be  a  state. 

"With  the  kindest  regards  I  am  sincerely  yours, 

William  H.  Taft. 
"Hon.  William  J.  Mills,  Governor  of  New   Mexico,   Santa 
Fe,  New  Mexico." 

The  Pen  Wherewith  the  Act  Was  Signed. 

On  the  same  day,  August  27,  ex-Governor  Prince  received 
a  letter  from  Delegate  W.  H.  Andrews,  dated  at  Washington, 
August  22nd,  1911,  (See  Santa  Fe  New  Mexican  correspond- 
ing to  August  25th,  1911),  advising  him  that,  by  the  mail  of 
that  same  date,  he  had  sent  to  Mr.  Princje  the  pen  which  the 
President  had  used  to  sign  the  enabling  act.  The  same  was 
sent  to  Mr.  Prince  for  its  preservation  in  the  New  Mexico 
Historical  Society. 


624  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Proclamation  for  the  First  State  Election. 

On  August  29th,  1911,  by  communication  signed  by  Presi- 
dent Taf t,  the  governor  of  New  Mexico  was  officially  advised 
of  the  passage  of  the  resolution  for  the  admission  of  New 
Mexico  into  the  American  Federation,  and  on  the  30th  of  the 
same  month.  Governor  Mills  issued  his  proclamation  for  the 
election  of  two  representatives  to  the  Federal  congress,  and 
of  the  state  and  county  officers,  etc.,  in  accordance  with  the 
constitution  of  New  Mexico.  The  proclamation  fixed  the  7th 
day  of  November,  1911,  for  said  election,  the  electors  were 
also  to  vote  for,  or  against  the  provision  as  to  whether  or  not 
the  state  constitution  may  be  amended  with  less  difficulty^ 
as  it  is  provided  for,  in  the  resolution  of  Congress. 

Political  Conventions — Nominations  of  State  Officers. 

So  soon  as  the  proclamation  was  published  the  political 
parties  made  the  necessary  preparations  for  the  meeting  of 
their  conventions  to  nominate  the  congressmen  and  State 
officials.  After  the  official  calls,  the  Republicans  met  in  con- 
vention in  Las  Vegas  and  the  Democrats  in  Santa  Fe  in  the 
latter  part  of  September  and  the  earlier  part  of  October, 
1911,  respectively,  the  candidates  nominated  being  as  follows: 

By  the  Republican  Party. 

For  Governor— Holm  O.  Bursum,  of  Socorro  county. 

For  Lieutenant  Governor — Malaquias  Martinez,  Taos 
county. 

For  Secretary  of  State— Secundino  Romero,  San  Miguel 
county. 

For  Auditor-  W.  D.  Sargent,  Rio  Arriba  county. 

For  Treasurer — Sylvestre  Mirabal,  Valencia  county. 

For  Attorney  General— Frank  W.  Clancy,  Bernalillo- 
county. 

For  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction — Andrew  B. 
Stroup,  Bernalillo"county. 

For  Commissioner  of  Public  Lands — Robert  P.  Ervien^ 
Union  county. 

For  Supreme  Court  Judges — Frank  W.  Parker,  DoSa  Ana 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  625 

county;  C.  J.  Ivoberts,  Colfax  county;  Edward  R.  Wright, 
Otero  county. 

For  Corporation  Commissioners — George  W.  Ann! jo, 
Santa  F^  county;  Hugli  Williams,  Luna  county;  M.  S.  Groves, 
Eddy  county. 

For  Congress— George  Curry,  Lincoln  county;  Elfego 
Baca,  Bernalillo  county. 

By  ihe  Democratic  Party. 

For  Governor — William  C.  McDonald,  Lincoln  county. 

For  Lieutenant  Governor — E.  C.  De  Baca,  San  Miguel 
county. 

For  Secretary  of  State — Antonio  J.  Lucero,  San  Miguel 
county. 

For  State  Auditor — Frank  A.  Manzanares,  Guadalupe 
county.* 

For  State  Treasurer— O.  N.  Marron,  of  Bernalillo  county. 

For  State  Superintendent  of  Schools — Alvan  N.  White, 
Grant  county. 

For  Attorney  General — W.  R.  McGill,  Roosevelt  county. 

For  Commissioner  of  Public  Lands — John  L.  Emerson, 
Eddy  county. 

For  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court — Summers  Burkhart, 
Bernalillo  county;  W.  A.  Dunn,  Chaves  county:  Richard  H. 
Hanna,  Santa  Fe  county. 

For  Corporation  Commissioners — O.L.Owen, Curry  county; 
Seferino  Martinez,  Colfax  county;  George  H.  Van  Stone, 
Torrance  county. 

For  Congress — H.  B.  Fergusson,  Bernalillo  county;  Paz 
Valverde,  Union  county. 

Campaign  of  Slander. 

The  nomination  of  candidates  for  congress  and  State  of- 
fices thus  made,  the  campaign  was  formally  launched,  and  to 
say  that  it  was  warm  and  bitter  would  be  a  moderate  charac- 
terization. It  was  a  campaign  where  slander,  vilification  and 
personalities  were  resorted  to  the  extent  that  in  the  history 
of  disreputable  political  contests  in  the  United   States  its 

*Manzanares  resigned  before  election  day  and  Francisco  Delgado, 
of  Santa  Fe.  was  put  on  the  ticket  in  liis  place.— Thk  Author. 


626  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

equal  cannot  be  named,  for  not  even  the  famous  and  degrading 
Blaine-Cleveland  campaign  of  1884  can  come  near  it.  The 
election  was  held  on  November  7,  1911,  as  provided  for  it  in 
the  proclamation. 

Board  of  Canvassers. 

The  27th  day  of  November  (1911)  was  set  for  the  canvassing 
of  the  vote.  The  canvassing  board,  which  consisted  of  Gov- 
ernor Mills.  Chief  Justice  Pope  and  Secretar}^  Jaffa  met  in 
the  Capitol  building,  in  the  City  of  Santa  Fe,  on  that  day, 
and  began  the  official  counting  of  the  vote.  The  counting 
lasted  from  day  to  day  until  the  16th  day  of  December,  1911, 
and  was  conducted  publicly  and  in  the  presence  of  the 
candidates  and  attorneys  representing  both  political  parties. 

The  19th  day  of  December,  1911,  was  set  as  argument  day; 
on  that  day  the  arguments  by  the  attorneys  representing 
both  political  parties,  respectively,  began  regarding  the 
objections  interposed  and  motions  made  by  them  while  the 
vote  was  being  canvassed.  These  objections  and  motions 
were  interposed  and  made  for  the  purpose  of  having  the  board 
reject,  or  throw  out,  some  precints  in  some  cases  and  in 
others  to  allow  certain  candidates  a  certain  number  of  votes 
which  the  judges  of  election  had  refused  to  count  in  their 
favor  on  the  ground  that  the  name  of  the  candidates  so 
counted  out  was  not  the  name  voted  for.  This  character 
of  irregularities  were  somewhat  numerous.  In  other  in- 
stances the  result  of  the  election  had  been  changed  by  the 
judges  of  election,  the  precinct  of  Carthage,  Socorro  county, 
being  one  where  the  judges  of  election,  John  B.  McKinley, 
R.  H.  Mclntire  and  Luis  Silva,  and  their  clerks.  Dr.  William 
Hart  and  John  Webb,  admitted  to  the  board  (vide  Santa  Fe 
New  Mexican  of  December  22,  1911)  that  "the  vote  had  been 
changed  so  that  one  of  the  candidates  lost  six  votes  and  that 
others  increased  in  different  cases  from  three  to  six  over  the 
correct  returns.''  Similar  irregularities  were  argued  and 
passed  upon  by  the  board,  the  board  holding  sessions  each 
day  for  the  hearing  of  these  arguments.  In  precinct  No.  1 
(Clayton)  of  Union  county,  the  board  found  that  the  poll  books 
had  not  been  certified  to  b^^  the  judges  of  election,  and  the 
said    judges  with    their    clerks    were  subpoenaed    by  the 


ILLUSTHATKI)    IIISTOUV    OF    NKW    MKXICO.  627 

board  in  order  to  have  them  sign  the  said  poll  books.  They 
appeared  before  the  board  but  only  one  of  the  judges  and  one 
of  the  clerks  showed  their  willingness  to  sign  whilst  the 
other  two  judges  and  the  other  clerk  declined  to  do  so  giving 
in  writing,  their  reasons,  whereupon  the  board  ordered  the 
matter  referred  to  the  district  court  having  competent 
jurisdiction  over  that  county.  The  opinion  of  the  board 
was  expressed  by  Chief  Justice  W.  H.  Pope  on  the  day 
mentioned. 

Referred  to  the  Courts — Judge  McFie  Declines  to  Act. 
The  matter  of  the  Clayton  precinct  election  imbroglio  was 
finally,  b\' agreement  of  all  parties  concerned,  referred  to 
John  R.  McFie,  judge  of  the  tirst  judicial  district  court,  for 
final  judicial  adjudication,  but  Judge  McFie  on  the  27th  day 
of  December,  (1911),  "for  reasons  personal  to  himself,"  and 
also  because  he  believed  he  had  no  jurisdiction,  declined  to 
take  cognizance  of  the  matter.  The  question  of  jurisdiction 
having  thus  come  into  the  case  both  sides  agreed  that  Judge 
C.  J.  Roberts,  judge  of  the  fourth  judicial  district,  wherein 
lies  Clayton,  was  the  only  judge  empowered  to  pass  upon  the 
question.  Judge  Roberts,  who  was  then  in  Trinidad,  Colo- 
rado, was,  therefore,  immediately  wired  to  come  to  Santa  Fe, 
which  he  did,  arriving  the  next  day,  (December  28),  and  he 
at  once  heard  the  case  and  decided  "that  the  judges  and  the 
clerks  shall  sign  the  returns." 

Canvassing  Board  Meets — Certificates  Issued — Engrossed  Certificates 
of  Result  of  Election  Sent  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  by 
the  Congressmen  Elect. 

December  29,  1911,  at  two  o'clock  the  official  canvassing 
board  met  at  the  Capitol.  Governor  Mills  and  Territorial 
Secretary  Jaffa,  present;  Chief  Justice  W.  H.  Pope  absent. 
The  decision  of  Judge  C.  J.  Roberts  in  the  Clayton  dispute 
was  formerly  presented  and  election  Judge  Eaton  signed  for 
himself  and  the  other  election  judge  and  clerk  who  were 
absent.  This  precinct  was  then  included  and  the  count 
closed. 

Before  adjourning  the  board  issued  certificates  of  election 
to  the  successful  candidates  and  placed  the  certificate  of  the 


628  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

result  of  the  election  in  the  hands  of  Congressmen  Fergusson 
and  Curry  who  left  for  Washington  on  the  evening  of  Decem- 
ber 30,  (1911)  to  deliver  the  same  to  President  Taft. 

The  total  vote  cast  for  state  officers  is  as  follows: 

For  Governor,  W.  C.  McDonald,  Democrat,  31,086;  H.  O. 
Bursum,  Repubhcan,  28,019;  McDonald's  plurality  3,017. 

For  Congressmen,  George  Curry,  Republican,  30,162;  H. 
B.  Fergusson,  Democrat,  29,999;  Elf  ego  Baca,  Republican, 
28,836;  Paz  Valverde,  Democrat,  28,353;  Curry's  pluraHty 
1809;  Fergusson's  plurality  1163. 

For  Lieutenant  Governor,  Malaquias  Martinez,  Republican, 
28,906;  E.  C.  de  Baca,  Democrat,  29,642;  de  Baca's  plurality 
1736. 

For  Secretary  of  State,  Secundino  Romero,  Republican, 
28,392;  Antonio  Lucero,  Democrat,  29,692;  Lucero's  plurality 
760. 

For  State  Auditor,  William  G.  Sargent,  Republican,  29,574; 
Francisco  Delgado,  Democrat,  29,133;  Sargent's  pluralty  441 

For  State  Treasurer,  Silvestre  Mirabal,  Republican,  28,977; 
O.  N.  Marron,  Democrat,  29,867;  Marron's  plurahty,  890. 

For  Attorney  General,  Frank  W.  Clancy,  Republican, 
30,162;  W.  R.  McGill,  Democrat,  28,721;  Clancy's  plurahty 
1441. 

For  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  A.  B.  Stroup, 
Republican,  29,411;  A.  N.  White,  Democrat,  29,522;  White's 
plurality  111. 

For  Commissioner  of  Public  Lands,  R.  P.  Ervien,  Republi- 
can, 29,706;  J.  L.  Emerson,  Democrat,  29,242;  Ervien's  plural- 
ity 464. 

For  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  Frank  W.  Parker,  Re- 
publican 29,583;  C.  J.  Roberts,  Republican,  29,681;  E.  R. 
Wright,  Republican,  29,541;  R.  H.  Hanna,  Progressive  Re- 
publican, 29,674;  Summers  Burkhart,  Democrat,  29,453;  W. 
A.  Dunn,  Democrat,  29,423;  Parker's  plurality  130;  Robert's 
258;  Hanna's  133. 

For  Corporation  Commissioners,  G.  W.  Armijo,  Republican, 
29,108;  H.  H.  Williams,  Republican,  29,835;  M.  S.  Groves, 
Republican,  29,788;  George  H.  Van  Stone,  Progressive  Re- 
publican, 29,451;  O.  L.  Owen,  Democrat,  28,509;  Seferino 
Martinez,  Democrat,  28,577.     Through  a  mistake  in  printing. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  629 

1032  voles  were  cast  for  Sol  Owen  and  could  not  be  counted 
forO.  L.Owen.  Williams"  plurality  1326;  Groves' 1206,  Van 
Stone's,  343. 

The  Blue  Ballot — Majorities. 

The  vote  on  the  amendment  of  the  constitution  was  the 
heaviest  cast,  the  blue  ballot  receiving  57,728  votes  of  which 
34,81)7  were  for  it  and  22,831  against  it. 

The  majorities  range  as  follows: 

Blue  Ballot 12,066 

Mc  Donald 1,230 

Roberts 2ri8 

Hanna 133 

Parker 130 

Curry 64 

All  other  successful  candidates  were  elected  by  pluralities. 
The  plurahty  ranged  as  follows: 

Blue  Ballot 12,066 

McDonald 3,017 

Curry 1,809 

De  Baca 1,736 

Clancy 1,441 

.  Williams 1,326 

Groves 1,206 

Fergusson 1,163 

Marron 890 

Lucero 760 

Ervien 464 

Sargent  441 

Van  Stone 343 

Roberts   258 

Hanna 133 

Parker 130 

White Ill 

List  of  State  Officers  and  Standing  of  the  Two  Parties. 
Governor,  W.  C.  McDonald,  Democrat. 
Lieutenant  Governor,  E.  C.  de  Baca,  Democrat. 
Secretary  of  State,  Antonio  Lucero,  Democrat. 
State  Treasurer,  O.  N.  Marron,  Democrat. 


630  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  Alvan  N.  White^ 
Democrat, 

State  Auditor,  William  G.  Sargent,  Republican, 

Attorney  General,  Frank  W.  Clancy,  Republican. 

Land  Commissioner,  Robert  P.  Ervien,  Republican. 

Supreme  court,  Clarence  J.  Roberts  and  Prank  W.  Parker, 
Republicans,  Richard  H.  Hanna,  Progressive  Republican. 

Corporation  Commissioners,  Hugh  H.  Williams  and  M.  S. 
Groves,  Repubhcans,  and  George  H,  Van  Stone,  Progressive 
Republican. 

The  Republicans  have  eight,  the  Progressive  Republicans 
two  and  the  Democrats  six  of  these  officers,  the  Republicans 
controlling  the  state  supreme  court  and  the  state  corpora- 
tion commission,  the  Democrats  having  not  a  single  member 
on  these  two  bodies. 

Certificates  for  district  judges  were  issued  to  four  Repub- 
licans, one  Progressive  Republican  and  three  Democrats. 

Certificates  for  district  attorneys  were  issued  to  five  Re- 
publicans and  three  Democrats. 

Certificates  to  the  State  Senate  were  given  to  fifteen  Re- 
publicans, A.  C.  Abeytia  in  So(;orro  county,  being  defeated, 
two  Progressive  Republicans  and  seven  Democrats;  to  mem- 
bership in  the  House  to  thirty  Republicans,  three  Progressive 
Republicans  and  sixteen  Democrats,  the  Democrats  havings 
elected  less  than  one-third  of  the  membership  in  either 
house. 

The  Amendment  to  the  Constitution  is  Officially  Announced. 

On  the  same  day  that  the  canvassing  board  sent  its  certi- 
ficate of  the  result  of  the  election  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  December  30,  1911,  governor  William  J.  Mills, 
complying  with  the  duty  imposed  by  the  Flood  resolution 
upon  him,  declared,  that  the  constitution  had  been  amended, 
by  the  adoption  of  said  resolution;  this  he  did  by  issuing  an 
official  proclamation. 

The  Certificate  Reaches  the  President. 

On  January  4,  (1912)  the  certificate  of  the  result  of  New 
Mexico's  first  legal  state  election  was  delivered  to  President 
Taft  by  Congressmen  Fergusson  and   Curry,   accompanied 


[LLUSTKATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  fi31 

by  Delegate  W.  H.  Andrews  and  other  friends  of  New  Mexico 
then  sojourning  in  Washington.  From  a  telegram  received 
in  Santa  F6,  and  published  in  the  Santa  Fe  New  Mexican  of 
that  date,  it  was  learned  that  "President  Taft  was  much 
interested,  for  it  was  the  tirst  time  he  has  had  a  chance  to 
add  another  star  to  the  American  flag." 

Order  to  Prepare  the  Formal  Proclamation. 

From  the  same  telegram  it  was  learned  that  President 
Taft  at  once  instructed  the  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Knox,  "to 
draw  the  formal  proclamation  of  admission,"  the  President 
expressing  himself  desirous, "to  sign  the  proclamation  at  10 
a.  m.  tomorrow,  (January  5)." 

It  Was  Short  But  Very  Annoying. 
Friday,  January  5th,  1912,  nearly  every  man,  woman  and 
child  in  the  Capital  City,  Santa  Fe,  at  8  a.  m.  (which  was  10 
a.m.  in  Washington)  looked  the  very  picture  of  happiness; 
the  day  was  extremely  cold,  but  that  did  not  hinder  the 
people  from  going  out  to  the  bulletin  board,  postoffice,  tele- 
graph offices  and  to  all  other  places  where  telegrams  were 
likely  to  be  received  from  Washington,  all  asking  these  ques- 
tions: "Are  we  in?''  "Has  President  Taft  signed  the  proc- 
lamation?" No  one  could  answer.  Later  in  the  forenoon 
anxiety  was  noticeable  in  every  face;  finally  the  rumor  that 
the  issuing  of  the  proclamation  had  been  postponed  to  2 
p.  m.  gained  some  circulation  and  relieved  the  anxiety  which 
had  began  to  make  some  people  fear  that  some  unforseen 
obstacle  had  again  blocked  the  way.  The  hour  of  2  p.  m. 
arrived  and  no  telegram  came  from  Washington  and  so  the 
crowds  gave  vent  to  their  fear  of  another  disappointment, 
and  so  it  was  for  the  evening  paper,  the  Santa  Fe  New 
Mexican,  came  out  that  day  earlier  than  usual  with  these 
significant  words  in  large  black  type  letters: 

"Hoodoo  Works  to  Last  Minute." 
Under  this  heading  this  telegram  appeared:     "Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  Jan.  5. — Delegate  W.  H.  Andrewshas  just  received 
word  from  the  White  House  that  the  Department  of  Justice 
wanted  delay  on  the  statehood  proclamation  until  they  could 


632  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

arrange  to  dismiss  the  demurrers  and  appeals  in  the  old 
timber  cases.  The  President  is  vexed  and  displeased,  and 
said  he  will  not  hold  up  a  state's  admission  on  any  such  old 
cases  and  will  not  wait  longer  than  next  week  at  the  latest."" 
The  attitude  of  President  Taft  had  the  effect  of  inspiring 
everyone  with  the  hope  that  the  next  Monday,  January  8,  the 
last  bondage  link  of  the  chain  of  suffering  would  be  cast  to 
the  winds  and  the  long  tight  finished. 

Justice  is  Done  at  Last. 
The  displeasure  of  President  Taft  had  the  effect  of  prompt- 
ing the  attorney  general  of  the  United  States  to  imme- 
diately take  the  necessary  steps  to  remove  the  obstacles 
without  further  delay.  The  demurrers  and  "old  timber 
cases""  referred  to  were  pending  in  the  supreme  court  of 
New  Mexico,  so  on  the  evening  of  the  5th  of  January,  after 
the  president  had  so  clearly  expressed  his  vexation  at  the 
action  of  the  Department  of  Justice,  the  acting  attorney 
general  wired  the  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  of  New  Mexico 
the  following  instructions: 

Attorney  General's  Telegram. 
"Washington  D.  C.  January  5,  1912. 

Clerk  Supreme  Court. 
Issue  at  once  writ  of  error  to  review  judgment  rendered 
by  district  court,  sixth  judicial  district  last  month,  dis- 
missing bill  of  complaint  in  cause  number  14,  entitled  United 
States  against  the  Alamogordo  Lumber  Company,  a  corpo- 
ration. Absolutely  necessary  writ  should  issue  to-night  to 
prevent  delay  in  signing  proclamation  for  admission  of  New 
Mexico  as  state.     Answer  to-night. 

Knaebel,  acting  attorney  general.'" 

The  instructions  were  immediately  complied  with,  the  last 
obstacle  removed  and  the  President  was  the  next  day  (Janu- 
ary 6)  notified  that  the  proclamation  was  ready  for  his  sig- 
nature. 

The    Proclamation   is   Signed — New    Mexico  Becomes  the  47th  Star  in 
the  Glorious  American  Flag. 
It  was  Saturday,  the  6th  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  twelve,  at  the  hour  of 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NP:\V    MEXICO.  033 

1:35  p.  m.  (Wasliington  time,  and  11 :35  a.  m.,  New  Mexico 
time)  and  just  (U  years  (>  months  and  eighteen  days  since  the 
first  statehood  convention  iiad  been  held  in  New  Mexico 
(June  -0,  1850)  and  ()3  years  11  months  and  5  days  from  the 
day  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  was  signed  (February 
2,  1848)  that  the  rights  and  privileges  of  American  citizen- 
ship ^^ere  extended  to  New  Mexico. 

On  that  day,  and  at  the  time  stated,  President  Taft,  in  the 
presence  of  Delegate  W.  H.  Andrews,  Congressmen  Curry 
and  Fergusson,four  membersof  the  cabinet  and  other  friends 
of  New  Mexico,  affixed  his  signature  to  the  proclamation 
admitting  New  Mexico  to  the  American  Union.  The  pen  used 
by  the  President  was  made  of  gold  with  pearl  handle  which 
Delegate  Andrews  furnished  the  President  with.  After 
signing  the  proclamation  the  President  remarked:  "Well,  it 
is  all  over.  I  am  glad  (speaking  to  Delegate  Andrews  and  our 
Congressmen)  to  give  you  life,  I  hope  you  will  be  healthy." 
The  New"  Mexico  delegate  (whose  official  functions  as  such 
had  just  ceased)  and  our  Congressmen  thanked  the  President 
on  their  behalf  and  on  behalf  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico. 

Archbishop  Pitaval  Thanks  the  President. 

In  Santa  Fe  everybody  was  rejoicing,  and  the  first  person 
to  express  his  gratitude  to  the  President  was  the  Most  Rev. 
J.  B.  Pitaval,  Archbishop  of  Santa  Fe,  who  at  once  wired  the 
following  message: 

"Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  January  6,  1912. 
"President  Taft,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"I  rejoice  with  the  people  of  New  Mexico  over  your  procla- 
mation.    Heartiest  congratulations. 

Archbishop  J.  B.  Pitaval." 

Thus  ended  the  noble  and  patriotic  fight  initiated  by  the 
people  of  New  Mexico  over  sixty-one  years  ago.  Good  and 
sufficient  reasons  did  our  people  have  to  celebrate  the  bth 
day  of  January,  1912,  as  the  most  memorable  day  in  its  his- 
tory, for  on  that  day  the  long  desired  transformation  from  a 
mere  province-like  colony  into  a  sovereign  state  was  realized. 
It  was  a  recognition  to  which  the  people  of  New  Mexico  on 
all  occasions  proved  its  right  and  worthiness  to,  it  was  a  rec- 
ogniti(;n  which  had  been  unjustly  withheld   from  them. 


634  ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF   NEW   MEXICO: 


The  President's  Proclamation.* 

Whereas  the  congress  of  the  United  States  did  by  an  act 
approved  on  the  twentieth  day  of  June,  one  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  ten,  authorize  the  people  of  the  Territory  of 
New  Mexico  to  form  a  constitution  and  state  government, 
and  provide  for  the  admission  of  such  state  into  the  union  on 
an  equal  footing  with  the  original  states  upon  certain  condi- 
tions in  said  act  specified: 

And  whereas  said  people  did  adopt  a  constitution  and  ask 
admission  into  the  union: 

And  whereas  the  congress  of  the  United  States  did  pass 
a  joint  resolution,  which  was  approved  on  the  twenty-first 
day  of  August,  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eleven,  for 
the  admission  of  the  state  of  New  Mexico  into  the  union, 
which  resolution  required  that  the  electors  of  New  Mexico 
should  vote  upon  an  amendment  of  their  state  constitution, 
which  was  proposed  and  set  forth  at  length  in  said  resolu- 
tion of  congress,  as  a  condition  precedent  to  the  admission  of 
said  state,  and  that  they  should  so  vote  at  the  same  time 
that  the  first  general  election  as  provided  for  in  the  said 
constitution  should  be  held: 

And  whereas  it  appears  from  information  laid  before  me 
that  said  tirst  general  state  election  was  held  on  the  seventh 
day  of  November,  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eleven, 
and  that  the  returns  of  said  election  upon  said  amendment 
were  made  and  canvassed  as  in  section  five  of  said  resolution 
of  congress  provided: 

And  whereas  the  governor  of  New  Mexico  has  certified 
to  me  the  result  of  said  election  upon  said  amendment  and  of 
the  said  general  election: 

And  WHEREAS  the  conditions  imposed  by  the  said  act  of 
congress  approved  on  the  twentieth  day  of  June,  one  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  ten,  and  by  the  said  joint  resolution  of 
congress  have  been  fully  complied  with: 

*The  officially  certified  copy  of  the  foregoing  Proclamation  is  on  file 
in  the  office  of  Hon.  Antonio  Lucero,  Secretary  of  the  State  of  New 
Mexico,  throug-li  whose  courtesy  I  was  able  to  reproduce  same  herein^ 
—The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  ()85 

Now  THEREFORE,  I,  WiLLiAM. HOWARD  Taft,  E^resident 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  do,  in  accordance  witli  the 
provisions  of  the  act  of  con^jress  and  the  joint  resolution  of 
congress  herein  named,  declare  and  proclaim  the  fact  that 
the  fundamental  conditions  imposed  by  congress  on  the  state 
of  New  Mexico  to  entitle  that  state  to  admission  have  been 
ratified  and  accepted,  and  that  the  admission  of  the  state 
into  the  union  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  other  states  is 
now  complete. 

In  TESTIMONY  WHEREOF,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 
caused  the  seal  of  the  United  States  to  be  affixed. 

Done  at  the  City  of  Washington  this  sixth  day  of  Jan- 
uary, in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  nine 
(Seal)      hundred  and  twelve  and  of  the  Independence  of 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  the  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-sixth. 
By  the  president:  Wm.  H.  Taft. 

P.  C.  Knox, 

Secretary  of  State. 

No.  8613. 
United  States  of  America. 

(Emblem) 
Department  of  State. 
To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  greeting: 
I  CERTIFY   that  the  document  hereunto  annexed  is  a  true 
copy  from  the  original  in  the  archives  of  this  department. 

(A  proclamation  by  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
dated  January  6,  1912,  admitting  the  state  of  New  Mexico 
into  the  union.) 

In  testimony  whereof  I,  P.  C.  Knox,  secretary  of  state, 
have  hereunto  caused  the  seal  of  the  depart- 
ment of  state  to  be  affixed  and  my  name  sub- 
(Seal)  scribed  by  the  Chief  Clerk  of  the  said  depart- 
ment, at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  :^2nd  day 
of  January,  1912. 

(Signed)  P.  C.  Knox, 

Secretary  of  State. 
By  (Signed)  Wm.  McNeir, 

Chief  Clerk. 


636  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

New  Mexico's  Congressmen  Take  Their  Seats. 

On  Monday,  January  8,  (1912)  at  12:04  p.  m.,  according  to  a 
telegram  from  Washington,  published  in  the  daily  papers  of 
New  Mexico  on  that  day,  Congressman  Sulzer,  from  New 
York,  addressing  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives said:  "Mr.  Speaker,  I  have  the  honor  to  present  to  the 
House,  Representatives-elect  George  Curry  and  H.  B.  Fer- 
gusson  from  New  Mexico.''  Mr.  Sulzer  then  escorted 
Messrs.  Curry  and  Fergusson  to  the  front  of  the  speaker's 
desk  and  the  oath  of  office  was  administered  to  them  by 
Speaker  Clark,  after  which  ceremony  desks  were  assigned 
to  the  newly  sworn  members  "in  the  rear  row  of  seats  on  the 
Republican  side,"  amidst  cheers  from  both  sides  of  the 
House. 

Organization  of  the  First  State  Supreme  Court. 

Under  the  state  constitution  the  tirst  supreme  court  of 
New  Mexico  is  composed  of  three  judges,  their  term  of  office 
was  determined  by  casting  lots,  the  longest  term  being  nine 
years,  short  time  five  years  and  the  third,  or  middle  term, 
of  seven  years,  the  judge  drawing  the  short  term  being  the 
one  upon  whom  falls  the  honor  of  being  the  Chief  Justice. 
The  salaries  of  these  judges  are  fixed  in  the  constitution  at 
$6,000  each  annually. 

Clarence  J.  Roberts,  First  Chief  Justice. 

On  the  11th  day  of  January,  1912,  the  Territorial  Supreme 
Court  met  for  the  last  time  at  the  capitol  in  Santa  F6  at  8:30 
p.  m.,  and  after  transacting  the  last  business,  to  close  that 
court  forever,  the  crier  of  the  court  in  a  loud  voice  announced, 
or  rather  pronounced,  the  Territorial  Supreme  court  out  of 
existence  in  the  following  words:  ^^Hear  ye!  Hear  ye!  The 
Honorable  Supreme  Court  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  is 
adjourned  sine  die.'"  The  new  supreme  court  was  then 
organized,  after  the  three  judges  had  been  sworn  in  by 
retiring  Associate  Justice  John  R.  McFie.  The  new  supreme 
court  judges  had  previously  cast  lots  which  gave  them  the 
following  terms:  Clarence  J.  Roberts,  short  term  of  five 
years,  which  made  him  Chief  Justice.  Richard  H.  Hanna, 
seven  year  term  and  Frank  W.  Parker  the  long  term,   nine 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  (j;{7 

years.  The  new  court  immediately  held  its  tirst  session  by 
electing  its  clerk  and  one  bailiff  and  adjourning  until  January 
17,  (1912)  at  10  a.  m. 

Third  Greatest  Event  in  the  History  of  New  Mexico — Stcite  Govern- 
ment Formally  Organized — W.  G.  McDonald,  the  First  Governor 
Qualifies  as  Such. 

The  oOth  day  of  April,  1598,  marks  in  our  history  the  tirst 
of  the  three  greatest  events  for  it  was  on  that  day  that  Don 
Juan  de  Ofiate  entered  New  Mexico  and  took  formal  and 
solemn  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  Don  Felipe 
Segundo,  (Philip  the  Second)  King  of  Spain,  which  act  of  pos- 
session was  followed  by  the  establishment  of  colonies  and  the 
conversion  of  the  Pueblo  Indians. 

The  Second  Greatest  Event. 

The  next  greatest  event  in  our  history  was  the  coming  of 
General  Kearny  and  his  taking  formal  possession  of  New 
Mexico,  in  Santa  Fe,  August  18,  1846,  on  which  date  the 
change  of  flags  took  place  and  the  people  of  New  Mexico 
received  the  promise  of  ample  protection  from  Indian 
raids  and  depredations,  as  well  as  the  promise  of  true  and 
complete  autonomy.  From  that  promise,  and  the  solemn 
obligation  assumed  by  the  American  government  in  the  treaty 
with  Mexico  in  1848,  sprang  the  hope  with  which  the  tight  for 
admission  to  the  union  was  maintained,  and  which  came  to  a 
happy  end  with  the  solemo  change  of  governments — from 
territorial  to  state  government — on  the  15th  day  of  January, 
A.  D,  1912,  that  memorable  date  marking  in  our  history 

The  Third  Greatest  Event. 

As  the  reader  has  already  seen  several  of  the  state  officials 
had  already  entered  into  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  these 
were  our  two  congressmen  and  the  judges  of  the  state 
supreme  court,  but  the  government  proper  remained  under 
the  old  territorial  officials,  said  officials  having  been,  in  fact, 
the  tirst  state  officials,  de  facto  if  not  dejure,  until  the  15th  day 
of  January,  1912,  when  all  the  state  officials  elect,  from  gov- 
ernor down,  qualified,  establishing  thus  the  state  government 
by  which  the  people  of  New  Mexico  came  into  the  possession 


^38  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

of  the  greatest  of  political  rights,  that  of  full  fledged  American 
citizens  by  having  such  government  as  the  immortal  Lincoln 
characterized  as  a  free  government.  "A  Government  of  the 
People,  by  the  People  and  for  the  People."  We  v^ill  now  give 
a  detailed  account  of  the  doings  on  that,  the  3rd  most  memor- 
able day  in  our  history,  the  15th  of  Januarj'-,  1912. 

Inauguration  of  State  Officials. 

Wilham  C.  McDonald,  governor  elect,  was  given  an  ovation. 
The  full  report  of  his  inauguration  was  published  in  the 
Capital's  daily.  The  Santa  Fe  New  Mexican,  on  the  day  of  the 
occurrence,  and  in  the  other  dailies  of  New  Mexico. 

The  following  list  comprises  the  full  set  of  the  other  state 
officials  who  qualified  and  entered  into  the  performance  of 
tlieir  respective  duties: 

Lieutenant  Governor,  Esequiel  C.  de  Baca,  democrat. 

Secretary  of  State,  Antonio  Lucero,  democrat,  succeeding 
Nathan  Jaffa,  republican.  > 

Attorney  General  Frank  AV.  Clancy,  republican,  succeed- 
ing himself. 

State  Auditor,  William  G.  Sargent,  republican,  succeeding 
himself. 

State  Treasurer,  O.  N.  Marron,  democrat,  succeeding 
Rufus  J.  Palen,  republican. 

Superintendent  of  Instruction,  Alvan  N.  White,  democrat, 
succeeding  James  E.  Clark,  progressive  republican. 

Commissioner  of  Public  Lands,  R.  P.  Ervien,  republican, 
succeeding  himself. 

Corporation  Commission,  Hugh  H.  Williams,  republican, 
M.  S.  Groves,  republican,  George  H.  Van  Stone,  progressive 
republican. 

President  Taft  Thanks  Archbishop  Pitaval. 

Appreciative  of  the  telegram  of  congratulation  sent  him 
by  Archbishop  Pitaval,  supra.  President  Taft  by  letter  dated 
January  7,  1912,  writes  the  Archbishop  thus: 

"The  White  House,  Washington  D.  C,  January  7, 1912. 
"My  Dear  Archbishop  Pitaval— The  President  has  received 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKY    OF    NF>W    MEXICO.  ()39 

your  telegram  of  the  6tli.  inst.  and  asks  me  to  thank  you  for 
sending  it.  It  gave  him  great  pleasure  to  sign  the  procla- 
mation admitting  New  Mexico  into  the  Union  as  a  state. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Charles  D.  Hilles, 
Secretary  to  the  President.'" 

Underneath  PresidentTaft  wrote  himself  these  words: 
"Thank  you,  Archbishop!  Wm.  H.  T." 

The  47th  Star,  New  Mexico. 

Ode  written  and  set  to  music  by  Rev.  Julius  Hartman, 
assistant  Parish  Priest  to  the  Pastor  of  Guadalupe  Church, 
Santa  Fe.  Sung  immediatly  after  the  inaugural  address  of 
Governor  McDonald,  by  a  chorus  composed  of  young  ladies 
and  men,  all  competent  singers,  and  arranged  as  a  living 
American  flag: 

The  47th  Star,  New  Mexico. 


Country  dear,  where  the  eternal  sun  shines; 
There  one  finds  what  is  creation's  best. 
Where  fair,  distant,  lofty  mountain-outlines 
Touch  the  heaven's  canopy, 
And  eyes  on  vast  plains  rest; 
'Tis  this  country  we  hallow, 
New  Mexico. 

Generations  struggled  hard 
To  make  its  people  free. 
Till  at  last,  Columbia's  Guard 
Sounds  Liberty. 

II. 

Country  dear,  now  gleam  thy  new  star's  pure  ray 
From  the  blue  vault  of  God's  mighty  dome. 
Night  is  past,  there  dawns  for  thee  a  new  day. 
Undimmed,  keep  thy  radiance  all 

In  time  to  come. 
Be  our  guide,  does  darkness  fall; 

Lead  to  our  home. 


640  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

III. 

Country  dear,  where  ancient  races'  feet  ti'od 
This  ever  calm  and  silent  fairy-land. 
Here  apostle— soldiers  of  the  true  God 
Planted  on  its  hills  the  cross, 
Blood  stained  its  burning-  sand. 
Now  the  Union's  banner  floats 

O'er  free  man"s  land. 

Guard  this  land  against  the  foe, 

O  God  its  barque  Thou  steer; 

And  sail  on  New  Mexico, 

Grow  without  fear. 

Country  dear,  fare  on  and  prosper  ever. 
Happiness,  peace,  dwell  beneath  thy  sky. 
Duty,  virtue,  love  for  thee  may  never 
Part  from  me,  this  is  my  pray'r; 
And  on  the  day  I  die. 
May  I  find  in  this  land  fair 
A  place  to  lie. 

Meeting  of  the  First  State  Legislature. 
Pursuant  to  the  call  issued  by  Governor  McDonald,  the 
first  State  legislature  met  in  Santa  Pe,  the  Capital,  on  the 
11th  day  of  March,  A.  D.,  1912,  and  Hon.  Roman  Liberato 
Baca  was  elected  Speaker  of  the  House,  the  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor, Hon.  Ezequiel  C.  de  Baca,  being,  by  a  constitutional 
provision,  the  President  of  the  Senate. 

Membership    of  the    First    State    Legislature — Their     Residence    and 

Politics. 

SENATORS. 

John  S.  Clark,  East  Las  Vegas,  Republican. 

Juan  Navarro,  Mora,  Republican. 

Louis  C.  Ilfeld,  Las  Vegas,  Republican. 

Thomas  D.  Burns,  Tierra  Amarilla,  Republican. 

Joseph  F.  Sulzer,  Albuquerque,  Progressive  Republican. 

Epimenio  A.  Miera,  Cuba,  Republican. 

Isaac  Barth,  Albuquerque,  Democrat. 

E.  C.  Crampton,  Raton,  Republican. 

Eugenio  B.  Gallegos,  Clayton,  Republican. 

Tienjamin  F.  Pankey,  Lamy,  [Republican. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  641 

Squire  Hartt,  Jr.,  Ranches  of  Taos,  Republican, 

Boleslo  Romero.  Los  Lunas,  Republican. 

Charles  .1.  Laughren,  Deming,  Republican. 

Abelino  Romero,  San  Marcial,  Progressive  Republican. 

William  M.  McCoy,  Mountainair,  Republican. 

Herbert  B.  Holt,  Las  Cruces,  Republican. 

C^regory  Page,  Gallup,  Republican. 

John  M.  Bowman,  Alamogordo,  Republican. 

James  P.  Hinkle,  Roswell,  Democrat. 

Fred  F.  Doepp,  Carlsbad,  Democrat. 

A.  J.  Evans,  Portales,  Democrat. 

C.  H.  AUdredge,  Tucumcari,  Democrat. 

T.  J.  Mabry,  Clovis,  Democrat. 

W.  B.  Walton,  Silver  City,  Democrat. 

REPRESENTATIVES. 

Zacarias  Padilla,  Los  Lunas,  Republican. 

Miguel  E.  Baca,  Los  Lunas,  Republican. 

Conrad  N.  Hilton,  San  Antonio,  Republican. 

Thomas  F.  Cooney,  Mogollon,  Republican. 

Tomas  A.  Gurule,  Albuquerque,  Democrat. 

John  Baron  Burg,  Albuquerque,  Democrat. 

Rafael  Garcia,  Albuquerque,  Democrat. 

Roman  L.  Baca,  Santa  P^,  Repubhcan. 

Charles  C.  Catron,  Santa  Fe,  Republican. 

Julian  Trujillo,  Chimayo,  Republican. 

J.  P.  Lucero,  Lumberton,  Republican. 

George  W.  Tripp,  East  Las  Vegas,  Republican. 

.Jose  Lobato,  Tecolote,  Republican. 

Francisco  Quintana,  Las  Vegas,  Republican. 

Bias  Sanchez,  Wagon  Mound,  Republican. 

Remigio  Lopez,  Roy,  Democrat. 

J.  R.  Skidmore,  Raton,  Republican. 

M.  C.  Martinez,  Raton,  Democrat. 

Manuel  Cordova,  Taos,  Republican. 

Luis  R.  Montoya,  Taos,  Republican. 

Marcos  C.  de  Baca,  Bernalillo,  Progressive  Republican. 

O.  T.  Toombs,  Clayton,  Republican. 

J.  D.  Casados,  Clapham,  Democrat. 

James  W.  Chaves,  Willard,  Republican. 


642  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Juan  J.  Clancy,  Puerto  de  Luna,  Republican. 

John  Young,  Gallup,  Republican. 

Duncan  McGillivray,  Crown  Point,  Republican. 

W.  H.  H.  Llewellyn,  Las  Cruces,  Republican. 

Presiliano  Moreno,  Las  Cruces,  Republican. 

James  V.  Tully,  Glencoe,  Republican. 

Charles  P.  Downs,  Alamogordo,  Republican. 

J.  W.  Mullens,  Roswell,  Democrat. 

J.  T.  Evans,  Roswell,  Democrat. 

W.  E.  Rogers,  Roswell,  Democrat. 

Hugh  M   Gage,  Carlsbad,  Democrat. 

Florence  Love,  Loving,  Democrat. 

P.  E.  Carter,  Portales,  Democrat. 

S.  J.  Smith,  Deming,  Democrat. 

A.  S.  Goodell,  Silver  City,  Democrat. 

Robert  H.  Boulware,  Silver  City,  Democrat. 

George  H.  Tucker,  Hillsboro,  Democrat. 

W.  H.  Chrisman,  Aztec,  Republican. 

J.  W.  Campbell,  Tucumcari,  Democrat. 

J.  L  House,  House,  Democrat. 

Antonio  D.  Vargas,  Ojo  Caliente,  Republican. 

Tranquilino  Labadie,  Santa  Rosa,  Republican. 

Manuel  P.  Manzanares,  Fort  Sumner,  Republican. 

W.  E.  Blanchard,  Arabella,  Republican. 

W.  W.  Nichols,  Ciovis,  Democrat. 

Election  of  First  Senators  to  the  United  States  Senate. 

The  State  Legislature  after  a  somewhat  stormy  session  of 
eight  days  on  the  27th  day  March,  1912,  elected  Hon.  Thomas 
Benton  Catron,  from  Santa  Fe,  and  Hon.  Albert  B.  Fall,  from 
Three  Rivers,  Otero  county,  as  the  tirst  United  States  Sena- 
tors from  the  sovereign  State  of  New  Mexico.  The  two  United 
States  Senators  thus  elected  wereon  the  2nd  day  of  April,  1912, 
seated  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  thus  making  of  New 
Mexico  a  full  fledged  state  of  the  great  American  Union. 

May  Our  Star  Spangled  Banner  be  Forever  the  Symbol  of  True  Liberty 
— Account  of  the  Fight. 

During  the  eight  legislative  days,  March  19th  to  27th, 
(one  Sunday  the  24th,  not  counted)  the  senatorial  contest 


i 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO,  643 

was  interesting;^  and  very  complicated.  There  were  many 
candidates,  but  tlie  leading  ones  from  the  start  were  the 
two  tinally  elected,  Catron  and  Fall,  ex-delegate  in  Congress 
from  New  Mexico,  W.  H.  Andrews,  ex  Governor  W.  J.  Mills, 
Octaviano  A.  Larrazolo,  ex-Governor  L.  Bradford  Prince, 
Malaquias  Martinez,  Roman  L.  Baca,  Speaker  of  the  House, 
Kugenio  Romero,  with  two  or  three  others  who  received  one 
vote  each.  These  were  republicans.  On  the  democratic  side 
of  the  legislature.  Judge  N.  B.  Laughlin,  and  other  prominent 
democrats,  received  a  complimentary  vote.  A.  A.  Jones  and 
Felix  Martinez  received  the  solid  vote  from  the  democratic 
and  progressive  members,  which  numbered  twenty-six 
altogether.  Don  Solomon  Luna  although  not  a  candidate 
refused  for  several  days  the  toga.  He  was  the  unanimous 
choice  of  the  republican  members,  but  having  promised  to 
support  Catron  and  Fall  remained  faithful  to  them  until 
through  his  efforts  all  factions  were  brought  together,  thus 
effecting  the  election  of  Catron  and  Fall.  * 

*  In  connection  with  the  election  of  United  States  Senators  a 
great  scandal  was  developed  from  an  effort  made  on  the  part  of  certain 
republican  politicians  to  cause  the  arrest  and  unseating-  of  the  follow- 
ing four  members  of  the  House  of  Repi-esentatives:  Manuel  Cordova 
and  Luis  R.  Montoya,  members  from  Taos  county  and  J.  P.  Lucero, 
and  Julian  Trujillo,  members  from  Rio  Arriba  county,  on  charges 
made  by  one  Elfego  Baca  accusing  said  men  of  soliciting  money  in 
consideration  of  their  support  for  certain  candidates  for  the  office  of 
United  States  Senators.  The  author  of  this  work  and  Geo.  W. 
Prichard  defended  the  accused  men  before  the  special  committee  of  the 
House  and  E.  R.  Wright  represented  the  House  of  Representatives. 
After  a  trial  which  lasted  ten  days,  March  20th  to  March  29,  1912,  the 
accused  were  exonerated.  The  following  is  a  concise  report  of  the 
trial  as  published  by  the  press  of  New  Mexico  immediately  after  the 
trial: 

"Nothing  has  occui-red  during  the  session  of  the  legislature  that  has 
created  more  interest  and  unalloyed  satisfaction  to  the  people  who  love 
a  square  deal  than  the  re-seating  of  the  four  members  in  the  lower 
house.  On  the  19th  day  of  March,  Trujillo,  Lucero,  Montoya  and 
Cordova,  all  republican  representatives  from  Taos  and  Rio  Arriba 
counties,  were  charged  with  accepting  bribes.  They  were  arrested  and 
put  in  jail  at  the  instance  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  republican 
party.  These  four  men  were  deprived  of  voting  for  their  preference 
for  United  States  Senators  and  from  participating  in  any  proceedings 
of  the  legislature  for  nineteen  days. 

•'There  was  no  evidence  during  the    investigation    of   this    case  to 


644 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


prove  beyond  a  doubt,  that  the  four  men  had  accepted  a  bribe.  The 
only  witness  for  the  prosecution  who  gave  a  clear  and  concise  state- 
ment of  everything  that  transpired  was  Hon.  Charles  A.  Spiess.  His 
evidence  was  implicitly  credited  and  from  it  nothing  could  be  deduced 
that  would  prove  the  the  men  guilty  of  the  crime  charged.  Other 
witnesses  corroborated   the  testimony  of  Mr.  Spiess. ''—The  Author. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Historical  Chain  Composed  of  Disconnected  Incidents — Puerto  de  Luna 
is  Settled — Troubles  With  the  Indians — Visit  of  a  Distinguished 
Mexican  Ceneral  La  Roca  del  Moro — Aubry  Weightman 
Tragedy — Tragic  Death  of  Beck  and  Gorman. 


As  the  heading  of  this  chapter  indicates  the  narratives 
given  in  it,  will  be  in  the  shape  of  historical  incidents  that, 
because  of  the  fact  of  their  being  of  a  semi-local  character, 
the  author  did  not  deem  them  as  proper  matter  to  be  intro- 
duced in  the  body  of  the  work.  They  form,  how^ever,  a  very  in- 
teresting part  of  our  history,  because  they  present,  in  a  strik- 
ing manner,  the  sufferings  and  vicissitudes  which  formed 
part  of  the  lives  of  the  families  that  first  came  to  New  Mexico 
to  people  niany  of  the  villages  far  away  from  the  centers  of 
population,  many  of  them  disregarding  the  danger  of  incur- 
sions of  the  Indians,  and  their  attacks  on  individuals  who 
happened  to  thus  isolate  themselves  so  to  speak,  from  their 
neighbors.  In  relating  all  these  incidents,  the  author  has 
aimed,  so  far  as  it  has  been  possible  for  him  so  to  do,  to  give 
the  narratives  jast  as  the  same  were  given  him  by  the  very 
persons  who  either  witnessed  the  acts,  or  had  an  opportunity 
of  getting  the  information  contemporaneously  with  the 
occurrence. 

Settlement  of  Puerto  de  Luna — Troubles  With  the  Indians — By  Fabian 
Brito,  Age,  70  years. 

"In  the  winter  of  1862,  a  committee  of  thirteen  men  was 
sent  to  examine  the  place  where  Puerto  de  Luna  stands,  with 
instructions  to  give  a  report  of  its  conveniences  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  colony  of  several  families,  and  in  the  spring  of 
the  year  following,  the  first  families  arrived  there,  consisting 
of  the  families  of  the  following  settlers,  Don  Melquiades 
Ramirez,  Sixto  Ramirez,  Mercedes  Carvajal,  Fabian  Brito, 
Pablo  Pacheco  and  Miguel  Chavez. 

"In  the  spring  of  that  year  they  made  a  dyke  across  the 


646  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Rio  de  Pecos,  constructing  an  acequia  therefrom  .to  irrigate 
their  lands,  which  they  cultivated  with  great  success,  but 
they  did  not  wait  long  before  bands  of  savage  Indians, 
chiefly  from  the  Navajoe  tribe  commenced  to  attack  them, 
for  during  the  summer  of  that  year  they  attacked  the  herder 
employed  in  caring  for  the  stock  of  the  village,  and  killed 
him,  but  were  pursued  by  the  people  and  all  the  animals 
taken  back,  the  Indians  taking  to  flight  on  being  overtaken 
by  the  people.  They  came  afterwards  and  killed  a  boy  who 
was  also  employed  in  herding  animals;  but  the  alarm  being 
at  once  given,  they  were  again  quickly  pursued,  preventing 
them  from  driving  away  any  animals.  One  of  the  best 
shots  of  the  settlers  succeeded  in  killing  an  Indian  before 
he,  the  Indian,  escaped  in  the  darkness  of  night  to  the  neigh- 
boring hill,  for  these  Indians  always  waited  till  sun-down  in 
order  to  attack  their  victims. 

"During  the  winter  of  the  sameyear  other  settlers  arrived, 
about  five  families  more,  and  took  possession  of  the  lands  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  built  an  acequia  (ditch)  to  irrigate 
them,  dividing  the  land  among  themselves  in  such  quantities 
as  each  was  able  to  cultivate.  The  first  flour  mill  was  estab- 
lished on  the  west  side  of  the  river  by  Don  Melquiades  Rami- 
rez.    The  mill  was  worked  by  water-power  from  the  acequia. 

"In  the  spring  of  1864,  the  Indians  made  another  incursion 
and  carried  away  many  of  the  horses,  but  they  were  pursued 
very  closely  and  were  overtaken  the  next  day  in  the  plains  to 
the  west  where  they  were  given  battle,  the  result  of  which  was 
the  killing  of  three  Indians,  the  others  escaping  because  they 
had  the  best  horses.     One  of  our  men  was  slightly  wounded. 

"In  the  spring  of  1866,  intelligence  reached  Puerto  de  Luna 
that  the  Navajoes  had  carried  away  a  flock  of  sheep  belonging 
to  the  late  "Cuate  Rael,''  of  Antonchico.  Ten  men  started 
out  at  once,  and  twelve  more  on  foot  in  search  of  them,  and 
overtook  the  Indians  on  the  other  side  of  Salado  Creek 
(Arroyo  Salado).  The  Indians  were  about  twenty-five  in  num- 
ber, and  when  our  men  first  caught  sight  of  them,  they  tried 
to  flank  us  in  order  to  cut  out  our  escape.  Our  men  succeeded 
in  discovering  the  plan  without  being  seen  by  the  Indians: 
but  a  contrary  and  somewhat  tempestuous  wind  gave  the 
Indians  all    the    advantage,  and    they   availed     themselves 


648  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  it;  for  rushing  onward  with  the  flock  of  sheep  they  raised 
an  immense  cloud  of  dust  which  hid  them  from  the  sight  cf 
our  men  and  safe  from  being  hurt;  while  our  men  remained  in 
the  uncovered  portion  of  thegroundin  such  positionas  to  make 
a  sure  target  for  the  Indian  shooters.  Soon  two  of  our  men 
were  wounded.  Seeing  tliis  disadvantage,  and  that  the  sun 
was  about  to  set,  while  the  men  on  foot  would  not  be  able  to 
arrive  soon  to  their  aid,  they  had  to  abandon  the  assault  witli- 
outany  other  success  than  that  of  having  rescued  a  shepherd 
whom  the  Indians  had  captured  with  the  same  flock,  and 
whom  they  had  obliged  to  haul  water  for  the  journey,  pricking 
him  with  their  lances  to  make  him  travel  when  alreadj^ 
exhausted  by  fatigue.'* 

The  Visit  of  General  Palacio. 

Prom  the  day  in  which  the  change  of  flags  was  effected,  the 
soil  of  New  Mexico  had  never  again  been  trodden  by  a  general 
of  the  Mexican  army,  until  the  year  1886,  when  the  Capital 
was  visited  by  the  famed  general,  distinguished  statesman 
and  erudite  man  of  letters,  General  Vicente  Riva  Palacio.  In 
the  civic  and  military  history  of  the  Mexican  Republic,  the 
figure  of  the  sympathetic  General  Palacio  stands  in  bold  relief 
among  the  many  great  men  of  Mexico.  Palacio  was  great  in 
the  world  of  letters,  in  the  military  career,  and  as  a  diplomat. 
As  a  learned  man,  he  was  author  of  many  important  works 
of  literature  and  poetry;  as  a  soldier,  he  covered  himself  with 
glory  during  the  war  of  intervention,  he  being  the  man  who 
received  the  sword  of  the  vanquished  Emperor  Maximilian. 

As  a  diplomat  his  fame  is  well  established  in  the  history  of 
nations,  acting  in  that  post,  when  his  life  ended,  as  minister 
plenipotentiary  in  the  court  of  Spain  a  little  after  he  had 
passed  through  New  Mexico  in  1880.  On  July  24th  of  that 
year.  General  Palacio  arrived  in  Santa  F^,  en  route  for  Spain 
and  Portugal,  to  which  kingdoms  he  was  going  as  minister. 
He  was  accompanied  by  all  the  members  of  the  Mexican 
legation,  namely:  Mr.  Icaza,  secretary  of  the  legation, 
Messrs.  Galvan,  Miranda  and  SeviJla,  who  formed  part  of  the 
legation,  and  Mr.  B.  V.  Whiting,  who  had  been  a  resident  of 
Santa  F6  from  1849  to  1861.  General  Palacio  was  received 
with   military  honors   b}^  General   Bradley,   who  was   then 


gg^T''^ 


650  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

commanding  officer  of  the  military  district  of  New  Mexico. 
On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  the  people  of  Santa  Fe, 
without  race  distinction,  gave  General  Palacio  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  legation  a  royal  serenade  in  which  addresses  of 
welcome  were  delivered  by  Judge  L.  Bradford  Prince,  in 
English,  and  Larkin  G.  Read,  in  Spanish.  The  answer  given 
by  the  general  to  the  fine  reception  and  welcome  tendered 
him  was  couched  in  the  following  words;* 

"Brothers,  Sirs,  and  Gentlemen: — I  thank  you  all  for  this 
benevolent  reception.  When  I  left  Mexico  I  had  already 
determined  to  visit  Santa  Fe— the  metropolis  of  New  Mexico 
— for  three  reasons:  First,  because  it  is  a  historical  center 
abounding  in  tender  remembrances  of  past  times;  second, 
because  in  this  place  are  three-fourths  of  a  population, 
through  whose  veins  circulates  the  same  blood  running 
through  my  veins;  and  third,  because  the  fame  of  its  hospi- 
tality is  known  the  world  over,  and  I  cherished  a  profound 
desire  of  becoming  acquainted  with  its  people. 

My  Mexican  Brothers:  It  is  highly  gratifying  to  me  to 
see  you  this  evening  face  to  face;  I  have  for  you  the  most 
profound  sympathy,  because  you  are  flesh  of  my  fiesh  and 
bone  of  my  bones.  I  am  very  much  pleased  to  see  you  living 
prosperous  and  happy  under  the  shadow  of  the  American 
Ensign,  a  post  where  destiny  has  placed  you;  but  remember 
that  beyond  the  'Bravo'  are  you  brothers,  contented  and 
happy,  too;  courage,  then,  and  be  loyal  citizens  to  the 
most  liberal  government  under  the  sun,  and  under  whose 
protection  you  are  treading  on  the  march  of  progress.  I 
have  today  been  treated  with  warm  hospitality:  I  have 
shaken  hands  with  your  military  officers,  and  at  that 
moment,  I  was  convinced  that  we  will  never  stand  face  to 
face  in  the  field  of  battle,  but  we  shall  certainly  combat 
shoulder  to  shoulder  for  American  independence.  Harmony 
is  the  name  of  these  two  great  nations  of  the  American 
continent;  foreign  powers  may  try  to  involve  us  in  strife, 
but  we  shall  always  live  in  harmony,  because  harmony 
means  the  commercial  interest  of  the  United  States.  To  the 
post  of  duty  which  my  country  has  assigned  me,  I  shall 
carry  in  my  memory  the  recollection  of  the  kindnesses  of 
*  See  the  "Boletin  Popular"  of  Santa  F6,  the  10th  of  July,  1886. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  651 

our  American  brothers  on  this  occasion,  and  if  God  grants 
me  life  to  return,  my  greatest  satisfaction  shall  be  to  again 
shake  the  hand  of  these  people.'' 

At  the  close  of  this  address,  which  was  received  with 
applause  and  cheers,  by  the  large  concourse,  the  general 
received  the  hand-shake  of  a  large  number  of  his  old  fellow- 
citizens,  and  shortly  after,  retired  for  the  night  to  his 
apartments. 

The  next  day,  the  general  and  his  party,  accompanied  by 
several  officers  and  citizens,  visited  all  the  points  of  interest 
in  Santa  F6,  and,  in  the  night,  left  for  New  York,  from  which 
point  they  were  to  set  sail  for  Spain,  where  he  died.  Before 
leaving,  the  general  left  for  publication,  the  note  that  follows: 

"Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  July  25,  1886. 
"To  the  People- 

"On  leaving  this  fine  city,  without  being  able  to  take  spe- 
cial leave  of  each  of  the  persons  who  have  honored  me  with 
such  extraordinary  demonstrations  of  sympathy,  I  avail 
myself  of  the  newspaper  press  to  say  that,  engraven  in  my 
heart  by  the  hand  of  gratitude,  I  carry  the  noble,  brilliant 
and  cordial  hospitality  which  I  received  from  this  city  and 
which  I  shall  pever  forget. 

Vicente  Riva  Palacio." 

La  Roca  del  Moro. 

There  is  in  the  western  part  of  New  Mexico,  and  near  the 
dividing  line  between  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  a  monstrous 
rock,  which,  like  a  tower  or  light  house,  shoots  up  from  the 
bottom  of  a  valley  rising  to  the  height  of  225  feet  and  com- 
manding a  view  of  all  the  country  for  many  miles  around. 
That  rock  forms,  undoubtedly,  one  of  the  most  important 
pages  in  the  history  of  New  Mexico,  as  it  was,  for  the  con- 
querors, or  at  least  the  greater  part  of  them,  what  the  light 
house  is  for  sailors.  Many  miles  before  reaching  the  val- 
leys of  Zufii,  the  conquerors  beheld  the  rock  to  which  they 
gave  the  name  of  "La  Roca  del  Moro,''  (the  Rock  of  the  Moor) 
and  so  it  was  that  it  came  to  be  the  guiding  object  of  the 
Spaniards  in  their  entries  into  New  Mexico.  In  said  rock 
there  is  a  very  large  cave  in  which  the  Spaniards  were  wont 


^52 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


to  lodge,  each  of  them  leaving  engraven  in  the  rock,  with  a 
sharp  steel  tool,  their  names  and  dates  of  visit  to  the  same. 
The  first  inscription  reads  thus: 

"The  very  illustrious  Governor  and  Captain  General  of  the 
Province  of  New  Mexico,  for  our  Lord  the  King,   returning 


P;im,-lii;il  .Sr 


from  the  pueblos  of  Zuni,  on  the  25th  day  of  July,  1629. 
At  their  request  he  left  them  in  peace,  imploring  the  favor 
as -vassals  of  his  majesty,  and  they  offered  him  again  their 
submission.  All  of  which  he  did  with  the  wisdom,  zeal  and 
prudence  of  the  scrupulous  and  gallant.  Christian  soldier." 

In  the   lower  part  of  the  inscription  just  noted,  the  auto- 
graphs   of  Diego    Nufiez    Vellido,    Joseph    Ramos,     Diego 


ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  65? 

Zapata,  and  Bartolom6  Naranjo  may  be  seen  engraven. 
That  inscription  is  followed  by  another  one  which  says: 

"By  this  place  Governor  Don  Manuel  Silva  Nieto  passed 
with  the  wagons  of  the  King,  our  Lord,  who,  wMth  the  indis- 
putable might  of  his  arm,  has  subdued  that  which  was 
impossible,  a  thing  that  he  alone  could  have  accomplished, 
on  August  9,  1629,  of  which  fact  I  wentand  carried  testimony 
to  Zuiii." 

In  another  part  of  the  same  rock  the  inscription  is  found 
wiiich  Oilate  made  in  the  year  1605,  in  his  voyage  to  San 
Gabriel,  New  Mexico,  from  the  PaciticOcean.     It  reads  thus: 

"Through  this  place  the  Commandant,  Don  Juan  Onate, 
passed  from  the  discovery  of  the  South  Sea,  on  the  16th  day 
of  April,  1605." 

Almost  touching  Oiiate's  inscription  is  found  the  inscrip- 
tion chiselled  there  by  Don  Diego  de  Vargas,  in  these  words: 

"Here  stood  General  Don  Diego  de  Vargas,  who  conquered 
for  our  Holy  Faith  and  the  royal  crown  of  Spain,  the  whole 
of  New  Mexico,  at  his  own  expense,  in  the  year  1692. "' 

In  like  manner  another  inscription  is  found  from  the 
Governor  General,  Don  Juan  Pais  Hurtado,  engraven  on  July 
14th,  1736,  in  which  is  read: 

"On  the  14th  day  of  July,  1786,  General  Juan  Pais  Hurtado, 
the  official  visitor,  passed  through  here  accompanied  by  Cor- 
poral Joseph  Truxillo."  There  is  another  inscription  which, 
according  to  the  dictum  of  historians,  was  engraved  by  the 
son  of  Governor  Hurtado,  in  these  words,  in  1739.  "On  the 
5th  day  of  the  month  of  June  of  this  year,  1739,  Don  Ramon 
Pais  Hurtado  passed  through  here,  bound  for  Zuiii." 

One  of  the  best  engraved  inscriptions  is  the  one  made  by 
Juan  Archuleta.  About  the  years  1630  or  1631,  the  Indians 
put  to  death  Father  Letrado,  concerning  w-hich  occurrence 
the  reader  has  already  been  informed  in  another  part  of  this 
work,  and  Captain  Juan  Archuleta  w^as  sent  from  Santa  F6, 
with  an  escort  of  soldiers,  to  punish  the  Indians  for  having 
killed  Father  Letrado.  Archuleta  and  his  soldiers  were  at  the 
rock,  and  there  Archuleta  engraved  the  following  inscription: 

"They  passed  through  here  on  the  23rd  of  March,  1632,  to 
avenge  the  death  of  Father  Letrado." 

Other  inscriptions   are   noted,  but  not  being  discernible,. 


654  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

according  to  trustworthy  reports  of  persons  who  have 
recently  visited  the  rock,  they  ought  not  to  be  recorded  in 
history.* 

Aubry-Weightman  Tragedy — Death  of  Aubry. 

(From  the  written  description  *>iven  to  the  author  by  Don  Demetrio 
Perez,  who  was  an  eye-witness). 

"The  month  of  August,  1854,  recorded  one  of  the  first 
murders  among  one  of  the  most  prominent  members  of  Santa 
Fe  society,  at  that  time.  Just  eight  years  after  the  entry  of 
Kearny  into  New  Mexico,  two  of  the  greatest  men  of  those 
times  met  in  a  bar  room,  Messrs.  Francis  Aubry  and  Richard 
H.  Weightman.  The  first  had  just  returned  from  a  trip  made 
to  Cahfornia  with  the  object  of  discovering  a  shorter  route  to 
the  coast  of  the  Pacific  ocean  in  which  he  succeeded.  The 
other,  Weightman,  had  just  returned  from  Washington  after 
the  close  of  his  term  as  delegate  to  congress  from  New 
Mexico.  Following  an  affectionate  salutation  came  the 
'treats,' and  after  the  drinks  came  the  trouble.  By  reason 
of  a  newspaper  article  their  temper  became  inflamed  whence 
followed  an  assault  by  Aubry  on  Weightman  in  which  Aubry 
threw  the  liquor  on  Weightman's  face  covering  him,  at  the 
same  time,  with  his  pistol.  Weightman,  however,  was  quicker, 
for,  drawing  his  dagger  he  plunged  it  into  Aubry 's  heart,  he, 
Aubry,  dying  that  very  instant.  Weightman  was  then 
arrested  by  the  sheriff,  Jesus  Maria  Baca.  He  was  subse- 
quently indicted,  tried  and  acquitted." 

Beck-Gorman  Tragedy. 

The  other  celebrated  event  which  culminated  in  the  tragic 
death  of  both  combatants  happened  also  in  Santa  Pe,  in  the 
year  1858,  between  two  prominent  merchants  of  the  Capital. 
Early  in  the  month  of  March  of  that  year,  Preston  Beck,  a 
partner  of  the  firm,  "Beck  and  Johnson, "had  a  wrangle  with 
one  of  the  clerks  employed  in  the  commercial  house  of  a  cer- 
tain Richard  Owens,  named  Gorman,  because  Gorman  had 
reprehended  another  employe,  named  Pancho  Griego,  who 
worked  for  Beck      Beck  went  to  Owens'  establishment  and 

*  Mrs.  Blanche  Doug-an  Cole  in  "El  Boletin  Popular"  of  Septem- 
ber 10,  1003. 


656  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

attempted  to  scold  Gorman,  but  Gorman  would  not  allow  it,, 
whence  a  challenge  to  armed  combat  followed  in  which  both 
used  pocket  knives.  The  stabbing  was  frightful,  and  fatal  to 
both  parties,  as  Gorman  fell  dead  on  the  spot,  and  Beck  died 
a  week  after  the  unfortunate  encounter.  This  information 
the  author  of  this  work  received  from  Mr.  Perez. 


I 


APPENDIX  FIRST. 

A  Memorial  That  Contains  the  History  of  New  Mexico  From  Its  Dis- 
covery to  the  Year  1630,  Written  by  Father  Fray  Alonso  De 
Benavides,  Custodian  of  New  Mexico,  and  Presented  to  the  King 
by  Said  Father  and  Fray  Juan  de  Santander  in  Madrid — Printed  in 
Madrid  in  the  Same  Year,  1630,  and  Re-Printed  in  Mexico  in  1889, 
and  Annexed  as  "Appendix  Second"  to  "La  Historia  de  La  Nuevo 
Mejico,     of  Villagra  From  Which  It  Is  Reproduced- 


"I,  Sir  Fray  Juan  de  Santander,  of  the  order  of  Saint 
Francis,  Commissary  General  of  the  Indies,  say:  That  with 
the  narration  made  to  me  by  Father  Fray  Alonso  de  Bena- 
vides, Custodian  of  the  conversions  of  New  Mexico,  last  year, 
1626,  on  July  20th,  concerning  the  large  increases  which 
those  conversions  were  acquiring  and  how  much  religious 
persons  were  missed  for  administering  them,  did  inform 
Your  Majesty;  in  attention  to  which,  with  the  accustomed 
zeal  of  so  great  a  Catholic  King  and  Lord,  you  vouchsafed 
to  order  a  Royal  schedule  issued  of  the  following  import: 
Marquis  of  Cerralvo,  my  relative,  my  Viceroy,  Governor  and 
Captain  General  of  the  Provinces  of  New  Spain,  or  to  the 
person  or  persons  in  whose  charge  is  the  administration  of 
their  government:  Fray  Juan  de  Santander,  Commissary 
General  of  the  Indies,  has  informed  me  that  it  is  more  than 
thirty  years  that  the  conversion  of  New  Mexico  was  com- 
menced by  religious  persons  of  his  order,  where  they 
stayed  for  more  than  twelve  years  without  producing  any 
results  from  those  souls;  and  yet  the  Province  of  the  Holy 
Gospel  was  ever  careful  to  send  out  a  commissary  and  some 
religious  persons  to  that  land;  and  that  it  is  about  fjve  years, 
according  to  the  Provincial  Chapter  that  was  held  in  the 
Province  of  the  Holy  Gospel,  that  New  Mexico  was  erected 
into  a  Custody,  (mission)  and  given  as  its  Custodian,  Fray 
Alonso  de  Benavides,  a  religious  of  good  example  and  life, 
and  that  you  gave  him  leave  to  take  along  twenty-six 
ministers  for  the  purpose  of  those  conversions  (as  he   did 


658  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

take  them,)  and  that  at  present  there  are  only  16  priests  and 
three  laymen,  the  others  having  died;  and,  as  they  are  so  few 
and  the  district  embraced  by  such  custody  being  of  Toore 
than  a  hundred  leagues  of  route,  rough  and  mountainous,  and 
the  Indians  existing  there  being  thirty  four  thousand  three 
hundred  and  twenty,  they  (the  religious)  cannot  attend  to 
their  administration;  he  requested  me  to  vouchsafe  to  com- 
mand that  you  and  that  audiencia  should  send  out  to  that 
custody  as  many  as  thirty  ministering  priests  and  some 
laymen,  and  that  said  conversions  should  be  kept  going  on, 
and  you  should  be  helping  them  with  what  is  necessary;  and 
this  matter  having  been  considered  in  my  council  of  the 
Indies,  I  have  approved  it  as  a  good  thing;  and  therefore, 
I  command  you  to  cause  thirty  religious  persons  to  be  sent 
out  to  the  said  custody  of  New  Mexico  for  the  said  conversion 
and  teaching  of  the  Indians;  and  hereafter  you  shall  have 
great  care  that  they  be  provided  with  as  many  more  religious 
as  may  seen  to  be  necessary,  for  such  is  my  will.'" 

"Madrid  the  15th of  November,  sixteen  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven: 

"And,  in  compliance,  and  conformit}^  with  such  a  Catholic 
schedule  and  command,  thirty  religious  went  out  from  the 
Province  of  the  Holy  Gospel  of  Mexico,  last  year  1629,- -all  of 
exemplary  life,  and  with  the  same  resolve  as  made  by  those 
who  were  there;  and  by  the  preaching  and  exertions  of  these 
thirty  who  so  v^^ent  out  recently  by  command  of  Your 
Majesty,  Our  Lord,  has  worked  so  many  wonders  and  mir- 
acles, and  made  such  grand  discoveries  of  riches,  both  spiri- 
tual and  temporal,  that  it  seemed  fitting  to  the  Vicero}'^  of 
New  Spain,  and  Commissairy  General  of  that  region,  that  said 
Father  Fray  Alonso  de  Benavides,  as  a  person  in  whose  hand 
the  direction  of  those  conversions  was  placed  during  these 
years,  should  come  personally  to  exhibit  to  Your  Majesty  the 
fruits  of  the  zeal  with  which  Your  Majesty  favors  and  protects 
them,  giving  them,  even  in  this  life,  part  of  the  intinite  reward 
which  awaits  you  and  you  deserve;  for  besides  the  treasure  of 
five  hundred  thousand  souls  converted  to  our  holy  Cathohc 
faith,  and  subject  to  Your  Majesty,  out  of  whom  there  are 
already  more  than  eighty-six  thousand  baptized,  Our  Lord 
also  pays  you  in   that  which   is  temporal  with  the  discovery 


660  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP   NEW    MEXICO. 

of  such  rich  treasures  in  mines  so  prosperous.  And  as  said 
Father  has  come  to  this  court  with  this  sole  purpose,  having 
traveled  in  this  year  1630,  more  than  two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred leagues  amid  many  dangers  and  difficulties,  and  as  he 
is  a  person  worthy  of  all  credit,  and  of  any  favor  that 
Your  Majesty  may  be  pleased  to  grant  him  on  account  of  the 
abundant  work  he  has  made  in  those  conversions,  I  ask 
of  and  implore  from  Your  Majesty  to  be  pleased  to  listen 
to  the  memorial  he  shall  present,  in  which  he  gives  a 
summary  of  all  that  Our  Lord  has  worked  in  those  conver- 
sions, with  the  royal  protection  of  Your  Majesty,  as  also  that 
he  may,  by  word,  make  manifest  the  abundant  service  of  our 
religion  in  that  remote  kingdom  of  yours,  which  has  been 
performed  with  advantage  to  the  souls  of  so  many  infidel 
barbarians  who  have  received  the  knowledge  of  our  good  God 
and  Lord  whose  principal  merit  Your  Majesty  enjoys;  and 
his  memorial  is  in  the  following  forum. 

Fray  Juan  de  Santander, 

Commissary  General  of  the  Indies. 

"Sir:  I,  Fray  Alonzo  de  Benavides,  of  the  order  of  Saint 
Francis,  Custodian  of  the  conversions  and  custody  of  New 
Mexico,  say  that  the  events  and  things  of  that  kingdom,  or 
rather  of  the  new  world,  which  in  these  current  years  we, 
the  religious  of  my  Father,  Saint  Francis,  the  first  and  only 
ones  therein,  have  converted  and  pacified  unto  God,  our 
Lord,  and  unto  the  obedience  of  Your  Majesty,  because  no 
other  religious  order  up  to  now  has  entered  there,  are  so 
many  and  such  that  I  shall  not  be  able  to  represent  them  at 
a  single  time,  and  briefly,  for,  with  the  royal  succors  and 
protection  of  Your  Majesty,  we  hive  discovered  great  treas- 
ures both  spiritual  and  temporal,  which  His  Divine  Majesty 
has  vouchsafed  to  honor  with  so  many  marvels  and  miracles 
that  it  seemed  fitting  both  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  and  to 
my  religious  order  to  command  me  to  come  personally  to 
manifest  them  to  Your  Majesty,  as  I  have  been  the  person 
who  has  governed  and  administered  them  for  many  years; 
and  that,  in  whatever  I  should  fall  short  in  this  memorial  (in 
avoiding  prolixity)  to  whom  we  so  much  desire  to  serve,  I 
should  state  it  in  words  in  the  intervals  that  Your  Majesty 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  661 

may  be  pleased  to  hear  me;  and  I  shall  consider  it  a  very 
great  reward  for  the  many  dangers,  toils  and  pilgrimages 
which  we  there  went  through  with  such  a  brilliant  success 
in  honor  and  glory  of  God,  our  Lord,  that  Your  Majesty  may 
at  least  be  advised  of  it, and  may  know  also  of  the  great  esteem 
and  prayers  you  enjoy  and  receive  in  those  remote  provinces, 
at  a  distance  from  here  of  more  than  two  thousand,  six  hun- 
dred leagues,  which  I  have  traveled  precisely  for  this  pur- 
pose, this  year  of  1630.  esteeming  all  this  time  and  work 
as  very  well  employed  on  seeing  myself  at  the  feet  of  Your 
Majesty; and  I  declare,  as  follows: 

Nations  That  Inhabit  the  Road  to  New  Mexico. 

"The  Kingdom  and  Provinces  of  New  Mexico  are  situated 
four  hundred  leagues  beyond  the  city  of  Mexico,  at  37 
degrees;  and  although  at  that  place  are  its  towns,  its  dis- 
trict commences  two  hundred  leagues  before  reaching  that 
point,  that  is,  at  the  Valley  of  Santa  Barbara,  the  last  pueblo 
of  New  Spain  in  that  region,  the  division  being  made  by  the 
Rio  de  Conchos,  so  named  on  account  of  the  Concho  nation 
which  inhabits  it.  Hence  we  go  along  the  Rio  Grande  for 
a  hundred  leagues  which  are  crossed  amid  great  dangers, 
because  they  are  inhabited  by  the  nations  of  the  Tobosos, 
Tarahumares,  Tepeoanes,  Tomites,  Sumas,  Hanos,  and  others 
— very  ferocious,  savage,  and  indomitable  peoples;  for  they 
go  along  always  entirely  naked  without  scarcely  having  a 
single  sowing  field;  they  live  from  what  they  hunt,  that  is, 
every  species  of  animals,  though  these  be  unclean,  moving, 
for  these  purposes  from  hills  to  hills;  and,  on  account  of 
gambling,  these  nations  are  wont  to  have  civil  wars,  and 
brutally  kill  themselves.  Their  arms  are  the  bow  and  arrow 
which  are  generally  the  arms  of  all  the  other  nations. 
While  crossing  among  them,  they  attack  us  face  to  face,  if 
they  see  few  people  among  us,  and  do  all  the  harm  they  can; 
wherefore  it  is  not  possible  to  pass  except  with  two  men  on 
horseback  and  very  well  armed,  and,  even  with  this  precau- 
tion, it  is  necessary  to  go  along  with  care  making  fires  early 
in  the  night,  in  order  to  divert  them,  and  to  go  ahead  as 
much  as  is  possible,  for,  when  they  see  a  large  force  of  people, 
they  at  least  try  during  the  night,  to  do  all  the  mischief  they 


662  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

can  among  the  horses;  and  ever  since  New  Mexico  was  dis- 
covered there  have  always  been  wars,  on  passing  through 
these  hundred  leagues,  with  these  Indians  for  the  defense 
against  the  damages  they  endeavor  to  inflict  on  us,  although, 
through  God  our  Lord's  mercy,  the  Spaniards  always  come 
out  victorious.  We  have  made  every  effort  possible  to  con- 
vert and  pacify  all  these  nations,  both  for  the  good  of  their 
souls,  as  well  as  for  the  safety  of  the  road,  but  their  savagery 
is  so  great  that  they  won't  allow  themselves  to  be  spoken  to. 
May  our  Lord  vouchsafe  to  hasten  the  time  of  their  conver- 
sion as  the  others. 

The  Manso  Nation  of  the  Rio  del  Norte. 

"These  hundred  leagues  being  passed,  we  arrive  at  the 
famous  Rio  del  Norte,  which  has  this  name  because  it  drags 
its  current  from  that  direction  for  many  leagues.  This 
river  runs  a  hundred  leagues  before  leaving  New  Mexico;  it 
is  inhabited  by  a  nation  commonly  called  Mansosor  Gorretas, 
because  they  so  dress  their  hair  that  they  look  as  though 
they  had  a  cap  on  their  heads;  and  are  easily  scared  by  our 
dogs  which  have  some  times  bitten  them  when  they  have 
received  us  in  a  warlike  mood,  and  as  also,  when  they  have 
come  to  us  peacefully  and  gently,  we  say  to  the  dogs,  'sal  ahi', 
that  they  may  not  bite  them,  so,  too,  they  are  wont  to  signify 
to  us  not  to  turn  the  dogs  loose  on  them  by  telling  us  ^sal 
ahi,  manso,  manso,'  and  by  this  name  of  'Mansos'  they  are 
commonly  known  among  us.  These,  too,  are  a  people  that 
have  no  houses  but  ranches  made  of  pine  tree  branches;  they 
neither  plant,  nor  dress  themselves,  but  all  go  naked,  and 
only  the  women  cover  themselves,  from  the  waist  down,  with 
two  deerskins,  one  in  front  and  the  other  behind.  They  are 
also  of  the  same  condition  as  the  preceding  ones,  that  is,  if 
they  see  their  chance,  they  do  all  the  harm  they  can,  but 
being  unable  to  do  that,  they  come  to  us  peaceably  to  get 
from  us  what  they  want  to  eat,  for  this  is  theirchief  aim,and 
a  few  of  them  can  eat  a  whole  raw  cow,  leaving  nothing  of  the 
intestines,  and  not  caring  to  clean  them  they  swallow  them 
together  with  the  vascosity,  like  dogs,  devouring  them  with 
their  mouths,  cutting  them  with  flint  knives  and  swallowing 
them  without  chewing  them.     These  Mansos,  then,  as  they 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  (5f53 

are  at  the  crossing  of  this  river,  are  always  necessarily  met 
with  and  they  are  wont  to  take  us  to  their  own  ranches  so  we 
may  give  food  to  their  women  and  children,  and  they  also 
occasionally  give  us  something  of  what  they  have  which  is 
tish  and  mice.  They  area  well  disposed  people,  well  featured 
and  stout.  Concerning  the  many  times  we  have  preached 
to  them  they  told  me,  when  I  passed  by  them,  that  they  would 
glory  in  having  among  them  religious  persons  to  teach  and 
baptize  them;  and  such  athing  would  be  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance, for  besides  the  principal  object,  which  is  the  conver- 
sion of  their  souls  redeemed,  by  the  blood  of  Our  Lord,  the 
crossing,  too,  of  these  two  hundred  leagues  would  be  secured, 
and  would  also  be  the  first  step  towards  converting  and 
reducing  the  other  neighboring  nations — an  object  which 
could  be  gained  by  stationing  there  three  or  four  religious 
persons  with  only  fifteen  or  twenty  escort  soldiers,  whereby 
the  other  expenses  would  be  avoided  which  are  made  so 
great  to  Your  Majesty  every  time  it  is  necessary  to  go  to 
New  Mexico.  With  this  safe  guard,  many  camps  of  very 
rich  mines  would  be  settled,  existing  all  along  this  road. 
Also  grand  sites  and  ranches  with  water,  and  parcels  of 
very  good  lands  could  be  established  wherewith  that  road 
would  be  full  of  traffic  every  year  and  at  all  times  if  desired. 
But  as  it  is,  on  account  of  lack  of  security,  five  and  six  years 
pass  off  without  we  in  New  Mexico  knowing  anything  about 
the  Spanish  nation,  until  the  order  is  sent  out  for  the  help  of 
the  religious  and  the  churches  to  which  Your  Majesty  always 
attends  with  such  zeal.  And,  although  it  is  true  that  it  has 
been  ordered  and  determined  that  such  a  thing  be  done 
punctually  every  three  years,  five  or  six  years  are  wont  to 
pass  off  without  the  Royal  Officers  remembering  us,  and  God 
alone  knows  what  it  costs  to  implore  it.  This  Manso  nation 
is  already  very  well  disposed  for  its  conversion,  because 
every  time  we  speak  to  them  about  God,  they  hear  us  with 
much  pleasure,  and  they  regret  much  to  have  to  go  and  burn 
in  hell  if  they  are  not  baptized; and  so  they  say  that  they  are 
anxious  because  they  have  not,  as  have  the  other  nations, 
religious  persons  to  teach  them.  I  cannot  fail  to  relate  what 
happened  to  me  there,  and  it  was  that,  upon  entering  into  a 
ranching  camp  of  this  Manso  nation,  I  placed  in  it  a  cross  of 


664  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  size  of  a  lance,  and  told  them,  among  other  things,  that 
that  cross  was  the  sign  of  God;  that  all  we  Christians  had  it 
with  us,  and  that  we  had  it  in  all  the  towns  and  houses  in 
which  we  lived;  that  we  asked  of  it  remedy  in  our  necessities, 
sorrows,  and  infirmities,  and  by  virtue  of  that  Holy  Cross, 
we  forthwith  obtained  that  remedy:  and  that,  therefore,  they 
should  have  the  greatest  faith  in  it;  that  they  should  adore 
and  touch  it  in  their  troubles  and  afflictions;  that  if  they  had 
faith,  they  would  be  healed.  An  edifying  spectacle  it  was  to 
see  those  who  then  approached  the  Holy  Cross  on  their  knees 
to  touch  and  kiss  it,  as  they  had  seen  me  do  it,  and  among 
other  things,  I  saw  a  female  Indian  with  the  tooth  ache 
approach  it,  who  with  great  affection  opened  her  mouth  with 
her  hands  and  got  her  teeth  near  to  the  Holy  Cross;  and 
another  one  in  throes  of  childbirth  approaching  the  Holy 
Cross  tried  to  get  her  womb  close  to  it;  and,  although  I  had 
there  no  interpreter  through  whom  I  might  learn  the  effect, 
I  have  great  faith  in  His  Divine  Majesty  that  He  worked 
there  also  His  marvels  in  confirmation  of  his  Divine  word. 
^^Non  est  vestrum  nosce  ternpora  vel  momenta  quae  posuit  Deus  in 
sua  potestate,"  to  let  us  know  when  the  hour  so  happy  for  this 
nation  will  arrive,  and  it  is  a  comfort  to  me  to  see  only  for  the 
present  the  disposition  it  evinces. 

Beginning  of  the  Apache  Nation. 
"Continuing  in  the  same  direction  to  the  North  for  thirty 
leagues,  through  the  Manso  nation,  we  met  the  grand 
Apache  nation,  which  are  there  called  the  'Perrillos,'  because 
one  of  them  discovered  there  a  pool  of  water  of  much  im- 
portance in  this  route;  for  many  leagues  were  traveled  with- 
out water  and  amid  considerable  trouble.  And  so  the  name 
of  Apaches  del  Perrillo  adhered  to  this  province,  and  about 
them  I  shall  speak  afterwards  in  another  place,  because  it 
is  the  largest  in  the  world.  Though  these  Apaches  are  very 
warlike,  they  can  be  trusted  better  than  the  foregoing 
nations,  and  we  went  across  their  land  with  less  care  until 
we  reached  the  Rio  del  Norte  by  whose  banks  the  settlements 
of  New  Mexico  commence  to  be  seen  in  the  following 
manners. 


„  ^>^'~ 


'..-.^^'^  -^'V-  -^'^"^ —- -''■"- 


Pioi-Iiimjition  of  Governor  Juan  Bautlsta  Vljll  on  the  coming  of  tlic  American 
Army— See  translation  in  anotlier  part  of  thisboolc. 


666  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Province  and  Nation  of  the  Piros,  Senecu,  Socorro,  Sevilleta. 

When  this  river,  on  the  other  hand  is  reached,  the  first 
settlement  of  the  Province  and  Nation  of  the  Piros  come  in 
sight,  v^ith  many  pueblos  and  adobe  houses  of  from  one  to 
two  stories  high,  with  roads  to  their  towns;  they  are  well 
dressed  and  with  a  government,  subject  to  their  captains; 
they  have  large  fields  sown  with  all  kinds  of  seeds  both  of 
their  own,  as  well  as  of  the  ones  we  have  carried,  together 
with  big  hunts  of  game,  such  as  deer,  rabbits,  hares,  and 
many  classes  offish  in  the  river.  The  land  in  this  province 
is  so  fertile,  that,  whatever  is  planted  in  it,  is  grown  in  great 
abundance,  particularly  the  pinon  (pine  nut)  which,  though 
found  generally  throughout  all  that  land,  is  much  better  in 
this  Province  than  the  others,  on  account  of  the  better  tem- 
perature it  enjoys.  This  is  the  first  Province  of  that  king- 
dom and  yet  it  was  one  of  the  last  to  be  converted.  God  was 
pleased  that  its  hour  should  arrive,  and,  in  the  year  1626, 
I  being  Custodian  (superior)  of  those  conversions,  I  dedicated 
myself  to  the  Lord  for  the  conversion  of  those  souls,  conse- 
crating its  principal  pueblo  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  of  Help 
(Socorro),  and  so  on  that  first  year  Our  Lord  vouchsafed  to 
favor  me  in  such  a  manner  that  all  were  baptized  and  are 
to-day  very  good  Christians.  I  have  founded  in  this  province 
three  convents  and  churches,  one,  at  the  Pueblo  of  Senecu, 
dedicated  to  Saint  Anthony  of  Padua;  another,  at  the  Pueblo 
Pilabo,  to  the  Virgin  of  Socorro;  and  another  one  at  Sevilleta 
to  Saint  Louis,  Bishop  of  my  religious  order. 

Founding  of  Sevilleta. 

"It  is  well  that  Your  Majesty  should  know  the  beginning 
of  the  foundation  of  the  Pueblo  of  Sevilleta.  It  was  deserted,  on 
account  of  wars  with  other  nations  who  burned  it,  and  it  was 
our  men,  the  Spaniards,  who  called  it  Sevilleta.  Its  natives 
wandered,  scattered  among  some  hills:  with  these  I  first 
founded  this  pueblo  again,  and  I  gathered  there  many  others. 
And  so,  today,  it  is  one  of  the  best  pueblos  held  there  by  Your 
Majesty.  These  three  convents  have,  each,  under  its  charge, 
other  neighboring  pueblos  to  which  the  religious  attend  with 
great  care  and  full  of  Christian  spirit,  and,  in  order  to  avoid 


ILLUSTHATKO    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  (i()7 

prolixity',  I  omit  liere  any  reference  to  the  dangers,  colds, 
calamities  and  troubles,  particular  cases,  which  have  been 
my  lot  in  the  conversion  of  this  province  leaving  everything 
to  God  for  whose  sake  it  was  done. 

Gold  and  Silver   Mines  Are  Discovered  in  Socorro  by  F.  Benavides. 

"It  is  not  with  less  power  that  God,  Our  Lord,  has  been 
pleased  to  bestow  in  this  province  the  temporal  gain  with 
which  Your  Majesty  may  cover  the  great  expenses  which,  as 
such  a  Catholic  King,  you  make  in  the  sustenance,  both  of 
ourselves  as  of  those  churches;  for  the  whole  of  it  is  full  of 
very  great  treasures  of  very  rich  and  prosperous  mines  of 
gold  and  silver;  a  boon  which  we  every  day  and  with  good 
wishes,  as  most  affectionate  chaplains  and  vassals,  prayed  to 
God  for,  and  through  the  diligence  of  an  intelligent  person 
we  came  to  discover  them  (for  which  we  give  Him  infinite 
thanks  in  the  name  of  Your  Majesty j  particularly  the  hillock 
of  the  Pueblo  of  Socorro,  chief  and  head  of  this  provmce  of 
the  Piros;  for  the  whole  of  it  consists  of  very  prosperous 
minerals  which  extend,  from  north  to  south,  for  over  fifty 
leagues;  and,  on  account  of  the  lack  of  some  one  who  under- 
stands the  business,  and  may  invest  in  its  development,  the 
greatest  riches  in  the  world  are  not  enjoyed  and  Your 
Majesty  loses  your  royal  fifths.  The  facility  for  drawing  the 
silver  out  of  this  hillock  is  the  greatest  and  best  in  all  the 
Indies,  and  it  would  be  worth  more  to  draw  here  one  mark  of 
silver,  than  to  take  out  many  such  marks  in  the  others;  for 
the  reason  that,  in  the  others,  it  is  necessary  to  convey  the 
materials  and  provisions  from  quite  a  far — even  the  water — 
and  these  expenses  absorb  all  the  silver  that  is  taken  out; 
but  in  this  mines  at  Socorro  everything  is  at  hand,  and, 
though  it  is  truethat  atthe  start  of  the  conversion,  the  Indians 
would  llee  from  the  work  of  the  mines,  I  am  satisfied,  that, 
if  persons  of  moderate  greed  should  administer  them,  should 
treat  the  Indians  well,  and  would  pay  them  for  their  work, 
being  satisfied  at  the  beginning,  with  their  simple  and  slack 
capacity  for  work,  they  would  not  only  not  cause  them  to  run 
away,  but  would  win  them  over  by  these  means,  and  they  (the 
Indians)  would  submit  to  our  treatment  and  communication; 
and  they  themselves,  seeing  that  they  were  not  ill-treated,. 


668  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

and  that  their  work  was  paid  to  them,  would  come  and  offer 
themselves  to  do  it.  By  such  proceedings  it  would  be  easier 
for  us  ministers  to  reduce  them  to  peace.  I,  however,  resolved 
to  take  out  a  quantity  of  the  metals  from  different  veins  of 
those  mines,  and  I  gave  them  to  some  miners  of  New  Spain, 
who,  upon  making  assays  upon  them  and  noticing  such  a 
great  wealth,  they  were  getting  ready  to  go  into  New  Mexico 
with  men  in  order  to  develop  them;  and  the  viceroy  was  left 
making  great  assays,  full  of  zeal  for  the  service  of  Your 
Majesty,  so  as  to  increase  in  those  parts  your  royal  fifths. 

Schools  are  Established. 

"This  Province  of  the  Piros  extends  along  the  Rio  del  Norte 
above,  from  the  first  pueblo  of  San  Antonio  de  Senecu,  to  the 
last  one,  St.  Louis  of  Sevilleta,  for  15  leagues,  where  there 
are  fourteen  pueblos  on  each  side  of  the  river  whose  popula- 
tion must  be  six  thousand  souls,  all  baptized,  with  three  con- 
vents as  already  said  in  which  the  religious,  in  addition  to 
the  teaching  and  doctrine  of  our  Holy  Catholic  faith,  teach 
them  also  how  to  sing,  read  and  write  and  all  other  occupa- 
tions, and  to  live  courteously  in  their  schools. 

The  Tioas  (Tiguex)  Nation — Reading,  Writing,  Music  and  the  Arts  are 
Taught. 
"By  ascending  the  river  for  seven  leagues,  we  come  to  the 
nation  of  the  Tioas  (Tiguex)  consisting  of  15  or  16  pueblos, 
where  there  may  be  probably  seven  thousand  souls,  in  a 
district  of  12  or  13  leagues,  all  of  them  baptized,  having  two 
convents,  which  are  that  of  San  Francisco  de  Sandia,  and 
that  of  San  Antonio  of  la  Isleta,  in  which  there  are  schools 
for  reading,  writing,  singing,  and'of  playing  on  all  kinds  of 
instruments  of  music.  They  are  well  indoctrinated  and  have 
a  smack  of  political  life.  These  convents  are  very  costly  and 
curious,  due  to  the  solicitude  and  Christian  spirit  of  their 
founders,  and  all  the  other  pueblos  have  also  very  curious 
churches. 

The  Queres  Nation. 

"By  advancing  four  leagues  further  ahead,  the  Queres 
nation  commences,  with  it  first  Pueblo  of  San  Felipe,  and 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  669 

it  stretches  out  for  over  ten  leagues  into  seven  pueblos. 
There  are  probably  in  them  about  four  thousand  souls, 
all  baptized,  with  three  very  costly  and  curious  chuches  and 
convents,  besides  the  ones  each  pueblo  has.  These  Indians 
are  very  skillful  in  reading,  writing  and  music  in  all  instru- 
ments, and  are  masters  in  all  occupations,  through  the  great 
industry  of  the  religious  person  who  converted  them.  It  is 
also  a  very  fertile  landyeilding  of  everything  planted  in  it. 

The  Tompiras  Nation  (Ghi'ili). 

"Leaving  aside  the  Rio  del  Norte  and  withdrawing  from 
the  foregoing  nation  (Tiguex)  for  ten  leagues  to  the  east, 
comes  the  Tompira  nation,  by  its  first  pueblo  of  Chilili  and 
it  extends  in  that  section  for  fifteen  leagues,  with  fourteen 
or  fifteen  pueblos,  having  a  probable  population  of  more 
than  ten  thousand  souls  with  six  very  good  convents  and 
churches,  all  converted  and  the  larger  portion  baptized,  and 
others  who  are  being  instructed  and  taught,  and  their 
schools  in  all  arts  as  the  others— a  land  not  very  productive, 
due  to  the  cold  climate  and  lack  of  waters.  In  this  province 
there  are  large  salt  deposits,  at  ten  leagues  from  the  mines 
of  Socorro.  I  cannot  leave  here  unrelated  a  saying  of  the 
devil,  through  the  mouth  of  an  Indian  wizard,  who  became 
convinced  by  the  word  of  God,  when  I  commenced  the  con- 
version of  the  great  pueblo  of  the  Xumamas,  which  I  dedi- 
cated to  the  glorious  St.  Isidrus,  Archbishop  of  Seville,  on 
account  of  my  having  made  the  conversion  on  his  feast  day, 
that  all  the  pueblo  being  convinced,  and  being  determined, 
through  the  weight  of  my  reasons,  to  become  Christians,  the 
wizard  became  quite  angry  and  said  in  loud  tones  of  voice: 
'You,  the  Spaniards  and  Christians,  are  crazy,  and  as  you 
live  like  demented  men,  desire  to  teach  us  to  become  so  our- 
selves, too.'  I  asked  him  in  what  were  we  crazy,  for  he  must 
have  seen  some  disciplinary  procession  of  holy  week  in  some 
pueblo  of  Christians,  and  he  replied  thus:  'You  Christians 
are  so  crazy  that  you  altogether  go  along  lashing  yourselves 
like  madmen,  through  the  streets,  shedding  blood,  and  so 
you  may  wish  also  that  this  pueblo  become  mad  too."  And 
having  said  this,  he  left  the  pueblo  very  angry,  vociferating, 
and  saying  that  he  didn't  want  to  be  crazy  himself,  a  circum- 


670  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

stance  which  caused  them  all  to  remain  laughing,  and  we 
much  more  so  at  knowing  and  persuading  myself  that  it  was 
the  devil  that  was  running  away  in  a  confused  manner  at  the 
power  of  the  divine  word. 

The  Tanos  Nation  (Galisteo) 
"Turning  again  to  the  north  for  ten  more  leagues,  we  met 
with  the  first  and  chief  pueblo  of  the  Tanos  nation,  which 
stretches  out  for  ten  leagues  into  five  pueblos  with  probably 
four  thousand  baptized  souls,  having  a  very  good  convent 
and  church;  and  the  other  pueblos,  also,  have  one  in  which 
mass  is  said  to  them  by  priests  from  the  convent.  There 
are  here  schools  for  all  trades,  as  in  the  other  nations. 

The  Pecos  Nation. 
"Likewise  to  the  north,  about  four  leagues  more,  the 
pueblo  of  the  Pecos  is  met  with,  which  has  more  than  two 
thousand  souls,  and  wiiere  there  is  a  very  splendid  convent 
and  temple,  of  a  special  make  and  curiosity  in  which  one 
religious  did  much  work  and  with  great  care;  and,  although 
these  Indians  are  of  the  Jemes  nation,  they  are  reputed  as 
a  separate  nation,  because  of  their  isolation  and  separation 
from  their  territory,  even  though  their  language  is  the 
same.  It  is  a  very  cold  and  unproductive  land,  yet  it  gives 
the  necessary  corn  for  its  inhabitants,  for  they  plant  a  great 
deal.  These  Indians  are  very  well  versed  in  all  the  occupa- 
tions, and  have  their  reading,  writing  and  music  schools,  as 
the  others. 

The  Villa  of  Santa  Fe — Churches  and  Convent  are  Built  by   Father 
Benavides — Also  Schools. 

"Returning  from  the  foregoing  Pueblo  towards  the  west 
for  7  leagues,  is  situated  the  Villa  of  Santa  F^,  Capital  of  the 
kingdom,  where  the  governor  and  the  Spaniards  reside  who 
are  perhaps,  two  hundred  and  fifty,  only  fifty  of  whom  can 
be  armed,  on  account  of  the  lack  of  arms.  Yet  though  few 
and  ill-provided,  God  has  permitted  them  to  come  out  always 
with  victory  on  their  side,  and  they  have  infused  such  dread 
on  the  Indians  by  means  of  their  arquebuses,  that  on 
hearing  of  the  approach  of  a  Spaniard  to  their  pueblos,  they 


ILLUSTRATED    EIISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  ()71 

run  away;  and,  in  order  to  preserve  in  them  this  dread,  the 
Spaniards  employ  great  rigor  in  treating  them,  when  it 
becomes  necessary  to  chastise  a  rebellious  pueblo;  for  were 
it  not  for  this,  they  could  on  many  an  occasion  have  tried 
to  kill  the  Spaniards,  seeing  them  so  far  away  from  New 
Spain,  whence  some  help  might  come  to  them.  They 
are  all  soldiers  well  indoctrinated,  humble,  and  the  greater 
part  of  them,  are  a  good  example  for  the  Indians.  Your 
Majesty  sustains  this  fortress,  not  by  payments  from  the 
Royal  exchequer,  but  by  making  them  pensioners  of 
those  pueblos  through  the  power  of  the  governor;  the 
tribute  the  Indians  give  them  is  one  manta;  and  one 
fanega  of  corn  a  year  by  each  house,  (a  manta  being  a 
yard  of  cotton  cloth;  with  which  the  poor  Spaniards  feed 
themselves.  There  are  about  seven  hundred  souls  as 
servants,  so  that  in  Spaniards,  Mestizoes,  and  Indians  there 
may  perhaps  be  about  one  thousand  souls,  all  so  punctual 
in  their  obedience  to  their  governors,  that  they  go  out  on 
any  occasion  that  is  demanded  of  them,  with  their  arms 
and  horses  at  their  own  expense,  and  they  perform  deeds 
of  valor.  It  only  lacked  the  'principal  thing  and  that  was  the 
church,  as  the  one  they  (the  Spaniards)  had  was  a  poor 
shanty,  for  the  religious  first  attended  the  construction  of 
the  churches  for  the  Indians  whom  they  converted  and  with 
whom  they  dwelt  and  lived;  and  so,  as  soon  as  I  was  named 
Custodian,  I  commenced  to  build  the  church  and  convent  and 
for  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  of  our  Lord,  it  can  reflect 
splendor  in  any  part  where  the  religious  persons  teach 
Spaniards  and  Indians  reading,  writing,  music  and  singing 
and  all  the  arts  of  gentility.  Although  cold,  it  is  the  most 
fertile  place  in  New  Mexico.* 

*  The  church  Father  Benavides  claims  to  have  built  in  Santa  Fe 
for  the  Spaniards  must  have  been  built  between  1628  and  1029,  as  he 
came  to  New  Mexico  in  UVld  and  in  KiSO  read  the  foregoing-  report 
before  the  King-  in  Spain.  It  is  reas<)nal)le  to  believe  that  said  church 
was  the  one  now  in  ruins  immediately  east  of  northof  the  old^'Garita'" 
(Custom-house)  north  of  the  city  of  Santa  Fe,  the  church  of  San 
Miguel  having-  already  been  built,  prior  to  Father  Benavides"  time 
(ante).  It  could  not  have  been  the  old  cathedral  for  I  have  in  my 
possession  an  official  document  wliich  is  a  report  made  by  Civil  Eng-i- 
neer    Don  Ig-nacio  Sanchez  Vergara  to  the  governor  of  New  Mexico  in 


672  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Teoas  Nation. 

"Proceeding  further  to  the  west,  towards  theRio  del  Norte, 
which  we  had  left,  we  find  the  Teoas  nation.  This  province 
extends  over  a  space  of  eleven  or  twelve  leagues  with  eight 
pueblos  which  contain  about  six  thousand  souls.  This  nation 
was  the  tirst  one  in  this  Kingdom  to  accept  baptism,  about 
which  act  they  boast  themselves  a  good  deal.  They  are  very 
friendly  to  the  Spaniards  whom  they  serve  generally,  and 
whom  they  accompany  in  all  their  wars.  It  has  three  con- 
vents and  churches  made  very  curiously,  particularly  that  of 
St.  Ildefonso  in  which  a  great  deal  of  care  was  bestowed  by 
the  religious  person  who  founded  it;  and  all  the  pueblos  have 
their  churches  where  they  are  given  mass,  and  they 
are  very  well  learned  in  all  the  arts.  It  is  a  very  fer- 
tile land  due  to  the  efforts  of  a  religious  in  procuring  for 
it  water  for  the  irrigation  of  its  plantations.  The  Kio  del 
Norte  which  passes  by  it,  abounds  in  large  quantities  of  fish. 

The  Jemes  Nation. 

"Crossing  this  river  to  the  western  part,  at  a  distance  of 
seven  leagues,  the  Jemes  nation  is  reached.  When  I  entered 
as  custodian,  this  nation  had  scattered  itself  throughout  this 
entire  kingdom,  and  was  almost  deserted  on  account  of 
hunger  and  wars  which  were  destroying  it.  Most  of  them 
were  already  baptized,  and  had  their  churches,  at  the  cost  of 
much  labor  and  care  of  some  religious  persons;  I,  therefore, 
endeavored  to  reduce  and  bring  it  together  in  the  same  pro- 
vince, and  placed  a  religious  who  carefully  attended  to  the 
work;  and  we  have  gathered  it  in  two  pueblos,  which  are  that 
of  San  Jose,  still  standing,  with  a  very  sumptuous  and  curious 
church  and  convent,  and  that  of  San  Diego,  of  the  congrega- 
tion, which  we  founded  again  for  this  purpose,  by  bringing 
back  there  the  Indians  who  had  been  left  of  that  nation,  and 
who  wandered,  all  scattered  about,  and  also  by  giving  them 
houses  ready  made,  together  with  their  sustenance  for  some 
days,  as  well  as  plowed  lands  for  their  plantations;  for,  in 

March,  1814,  by  which  Verg-ara  "ives  a  detailed  description  of  the 
cathedral,  from  which  fact  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  old  catlie- 
dral  had  just  been  built.— Thk  Author. 


ILLUSTRATED    IlISTOKY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  673 

order  to  cover  these  and  other  expenses  for  the  sake  of 
charity,  we,  the  religious,  are  wont  to  exchange  even  the  cloth 
which  Your  Majesty  gives  us  as  alms  for  our  raiments;  and 
so  that  congregation  is  today  one  of  the  best  pueblos  of  the 
Indies  with  its  church,  its  convent  and  its  schools  in  all  arts, 
as  in  the  others;  and,  although  more  than  half  of  this  nation 
has  died,  nevertheless.  Your  Majesty  has  there  more  than 
three  thousand  congregated  tributaries. 

This  Picuris  Nation. 

Turning  now  back  to  the  Tioas  nation  whence  we  started 
out  to  go  to  the  Jemes,  and  going  up  the  river  to  the  north 
for  ten  leagues,  we  arrived  at  the  Pueblo  of  Picuris,  which 
has  about  two  thousand  souls,  already  baptized,  with  their 
convent  and  church  where  they  are  well  instructed  and 
taught;  it  has  the  most  indomitable  and  treacherous  people 
in  that  kingdom  and  some  religious  men  have  suffered  a  good 
deal  at  their  hands,  so  far  as  to  receive  violence  and  be  ill- 
treated;  because  these  Indians  hate  our  holy  Catholic  faith 
from  which  so  much  good  results  to  them,  and  they  have 
attempted  to  kill  the  priest  whom  they  now  have,  and  whom 
Our  Lord  has  miraculously  rescued  from  them;  as  when  they 
have  gone  out  to  intercept  and  kill  him  on  the  roads,  they 
have  been  covered  by  a  cold  sweat,  and  trembled  from  dread 
in  his  presence.  On  another  occasion  when  they  were  about 
to  lay  hands  on  him,  he  became  invisible  to  them,  and  they 
had  to  turn  back  in  confusion.  But,  today,  God  be  blessed, 
they  are  very  pacific  and  well  instructed;  and  although  these 
Indians  belong  to  the  Tioas  (Tiguez)  nation,  they  are  reckoned 
by  themselves  as  a  separate  nation  because  of  their  being 
so  far  apart  from  the  Tiguex  nation.  Their  land  is  very 
fertile  and  it  yields  fruit  in  a  very  short  time  in  great  plenty. 
The  water  of  its  rivers  is  very  good,  and  they  abound  in 
trout.  They  have  also  mines  of  very  fine  garnets,  but  no 
one  cares  to  elaborate  them. 

The  Taos  Nation. 

"Further  ahead  in  the  same  northern  direction,  lies,  at 
about  seven  leagues,  the  Pueblo  of  Taos,  of  the  same  nation 
as  the  foregoing,   though  somewhat  different   in  language. 


674  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

It  has  two  thousand  five  hundred  baptized  souls,  with  their 
convent  and  church  which  have  been  founded  with  great 
care  by  the  rehgious  persons  who  have  had  their  conversion 
in  their  charge.  These  Indians  are  ver}' well  indoctrinated, 
and  last  year,  1627,  Our  Lord  confirmed  his  holy  word 
among  them  by  means  of  a  miracle.  That  it  was  quite 
difticult  for  them  to  abandon  their  custom  of  having  many 
wives,  as  was  their  w^ont,  before  receiving  baptism.  Every 
day  the  religious  person  preached  to  them  about  the  truth 
of  the  Holy  Sacrament  of  marriage,  and  the  person  who 
mostly  contradicted  this  was  an  old  witch,  who,  under  the 
pretext  of  going  for  wood  to  the  country,  took  out  four 
other  good  Christian  women,  married  according  to  the  rites 
of  our  Holy  Mother,  the  church,  and,  in  going  and  coming 
back,  tried  to  persuade  them  not  to  consent  to  marry  after 
the  manner  in  which  the  priest  taught;  that  it  was  better  to 
do  it,  according  to  the  custom  of  their  own  people,  a  thing 
which  they,  as  good  Christians,  always  resisted.  As  they  were 
approaching  the  pueblo,  and  the  witch  still  persisting  in  her 
talk,  the  sky  being  clear  and  serene,  a  bolt  of  lightning  fell 
and  killed  that  infernal  minister  of  the  demon  in  the  midst 
of  the  good  Christians  who  resisted  her  evil  doctrine,  they 
remaining  entirely  free  from  the  eifect  of  the  lightning,  and 
very  w^ell  confirmed  in  the  truth  of  the  Holy  Sacrament  of 
marriage.  The  people  at  once  hastened  to  the  scene,  and 
seeing  the  stroke  of  heaven,  all  those  who  were  living  inces- 
tuously  in  secret,  were  married  and  very  earnestly  believed 
everthing  the  priest  taught  them.  He,  thereupon,  preached 
right  there  a  sermon  to  them  on  the  occurrence,  and  every 
feast-day  he  also  preached  to  them,  as  is  the  custom  in  the 
other  convents.  Glory  be  to  God  Our  Lord.  The  land  is 
very  cold,  and  abounds  very  much  in  live  stock. 

The  Rock  of  Acoma. 
''Retracing  our  steps  to  the  Queres  nation,  and  starting 
from  Santa  Ana,  its  last  pueblo  westward  for  about  12  leagues, 
the  Rock  (PeQol)  of  Acoma  is  reached,  which  has  cost  so 
many  Spanish  and  friendly  Indian  lives,  both  because  it  is 
a  wall  of  tiled  and  inexpugnable  rock,  as  well  as  oji  account 
of  the  valor    of   its    inhabitants   who    number    about    two 


ILLU8TKATEU    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  675 

thousand  souls.  And  it  pleased  God  that,  last  year,  1629. 
we  reduced  them  to  peace:  and  today  they  have  a  religious 
who  is  catechizing  and  baptizing  them;  and  the  Lord  has 
confirmed  by  a  miracle  the  power  of  this  sacrament  of 
baptism,  and  that  miracle  was,  that  while  an  infant  was  in 
its  mother's  arms  in  the  last  gasps  of  death,  she  weeping 
over  it  as  if  dead,  the  religious  who  was  there  teaching  them 
told  her,  if  she  loved  her  child  so  much,  to  allow  it  to  be 
baptized,  that  it  might  go  to  enjoy  eternal  glory  in  heaven  if 
it  died;  and  the  mother  believed  the  priest,  and  requested 
him  to  baptize  the  child  to  which  the  priest  answered:  Well 
my  daughter,  have  faith,  for  this  holy  water  of  baptism  has 
power  to  bring  your  daughter  to  life  again.  And  pouring 
the  water  over  it  saying  the  words,  it  was  a  wonderful  thing 
to  see  that  at  the  instant  it  got  up  well  and  sound,  and  made 
for  its  mother's  breast.  Then  turning  to  the  priest  in 
smiles  and  caresses,  it  showed,  by  gestures,  since  it  could 
not  speak,  its  gratitude  for  the  good  he  had  done  for  it; 
wherewith  all  those  Indians  were  very  well  confirmed  in  the 
faith,  and  they  learned  quickly  to  pray  so  they  might  be 
baptized.     God  be  blessed  for  all. 

The  Zuni  Nation. 

"Proceeding  further  westward,  for  thirty  leagues,  the 
Province  of  Zuni  is  reached,  where  there  are  eleven  or  twelve 
pueblos  in  a  district  embracing  nine  or  ten  leagues,  contain- 
ing more  than  10,000  converted  souls,  who  are  being  cate- 
chized and  baptized.  They  have  two  convents  and  churches 
in  which  the  religious  dwelling  there  have  undergone  and 
are  undergoing,  many  troubles  and  hardships,  on  account  of 
the  great  repugnance  the  wizards  bear  to  them,  but,  as  God 
is  ever  present  over  all  things,  the  religious  always  win  the 
victory,  and  our  Lord  has  worked  there  many  particular 
things  which  may  be  seen  in  the  information  of  everything 
above  said,  to  which  I  refer.  The  land  is  very  abundant  in 
all  kinds  of  provisions. 

The  Moqui  Nation. 

"Pushing  forward  in  the  same  western  direction  for 
another  thirty  leagues,  the  Province  of  Moqui  is  reached, 


676 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


being  of  about  the  same  extent  as  the  preceding  Zuni,  con- 
taining a  population  of  another  ten  thousand  souls,  which 
are  also  being  catechized  and  baptized,  and  which  baptism 
and  divine  word  the  Lord  has  confirmed  with  the  following 
miracle  to-wit:  It  is  customary  among  all  the  infidel  Indians 
to  receive  the  religious  at  first  very  well  in  their  pueblos, 


Ui'v.  JaiiKs  H.   Dofouri. 

First  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  Guadalupe,  Santa  Fe; 

Writer  and  Author  of  several  works 

of  History  and   Uoligion. 


and  to  submit  at  once  to  baptism;  and,  on  seeing,  when  they 
are  catechized,  that  they  must  abandon  their  idolatries  and 
witcheries,  the  wizards  regret  that  so  much  that  they  make 
them  all  restless  and  divert  them  from  the  truth,  that  they 
may  not  become  Christians:  and  not  only  this,  but  they  drive 
the  religious  out,  when  they  cannot  have  him  killed.  So  it 
happened  in   the  main   pueblo  of  this   Moqui  Province:  they^ 


ILLUSTRATKl)   HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO.  677 

received  very  well  the  priest  who  went  to  convert  them, 
and  his  companions,  together  with  some  soldiers  who  were 
there  with  them,  as  an  escort;  and  seeing  that  the  religious, 
with  an  original  cross  of  Mother  Luisa  of  Carrion  compelled 
them,  with  cheers  and  efficacious  reasons,  to  adore  one  only- 
God,  Lord  and  Creator  of  all  things,  and  who,  for  our  re- 
demption, had  died  on  a  cross  like  that,  which  it  was  their 
duty  to  adore,  and  not  their  idols  wherewith  the  devil  held 
them  deceived;  the  wizards  angered  at  this,  and,  seeing 
that  the  jurisdiction  they  had,  as  ministers  of  hell,  over 
those  souls,  was  being  taken  away  from  them,  they  succeeded 
in  persuading  all  the  people  that  the  religious  and  all  those 
who  accompanied  him  were  liars  and  were  going  to  deceive 
them,  and  that  they  should  kill  him  forthwith;  and,  desiring 
to  carry  their  project  into  effect,  on  some  occasions,  they 
durst  not,  on  account  of  the  watchfulness  of  the  soldiers,  but 
chiefly  through  the  protection  of  heaven.  After  this,  a 
crowd  of  them  came,  bringing  a  boy  of  from  twelve  to  thir- 
teen years  of  age,  who  had  been  blind  'a  nativitate'  and  was 
born  with  his  eyes  sealed,  without  any  suspicion  that  he 
might  be  able  to  see,  and  told  the  religious  these  words: 

"  'You  must  be  a  great  liar,  and  so,  if  ail  what  you  say  about 
that  which  you  call  cross  is  the  truth,  place  it  over  the  eyes 
of  this  boy,  and,  if  by  that  means,  he  should  open  them,  we 
will  confess  that  all  you  preach  to  us  is  the  truth;  but, 
if  he  should  not,  we  shall  have  you  killed  or  driven  out  in 
confusion.'  The  religious  having  seen  this,  fell  on  his  knees 
with  that  affection  and  devotion  which  might  be  imagined  in 
a  similar  case,  and,  with  the  same  cross  in  his  hands,  his  eyes 
raised  to  heaven,  implored  the  Divine  Majesty  that,  for  the 
confusion,  of  those  savage  infldels,  and  to  the  end  that  they 
should  adore  His  most  holy  name  and  cross,  he  should  work 
therewith  his  wonders.  He  then  stood  up  and  placed  it  with 
the  utmost  faith  over  the  eyes  of  the  blind  boy,  and  imme- 
diately, at  the  very  instant,  he  opened  them  and  began  to 
utter  loud  voices  in  admiration  of  his  being  able  to  see; 
wherewith  they  took  the  boy  in  their  arms,  carried  him 
through  the  streets  and  squares,  proclaiming  in  loud  voices 
the  miracle,  and  that  all  should  become  Christians  and  be 
baptized  and  do  whatever  the  priest  taught  them,  for  it  was 


678  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

the  truth;  and  that  their  wizards  were  all  hars  who.  deceived 
them.  And  so  they  at  once  submitted  to  what  the  priest  and 
his  companions  taught  them  so  as  to  be  baptized,  and  held 
them  in  great  love  and  respect.  Sit  nomen  Domini  benedictum. 
And,  although  in  the  preceding  conversions  Our  Lord  has 
worked  many  a  wonder,  I  have  now  refrained  from  mention- 
ing them,  referring  only  to  the  general  history  of  that  land, 
which  wnth  heaven's  favor  I  am  writing:  and  I  have  wished  to 
relate  the  said  miracles  to  Your  Majesty,  because  our  Lord 
worked  them  all  last  year,  1629,  after  Your  Majesty  was 
vouchsafed  to  provide  for  us  more  ministers. 

Rites  of  These  Gentiles. 
"These  are  the  towns  which  we  have  converted  and  bap- 
tized in  that  part  of  what  we  call  New  Mexico.  They  all, 
from  the  first  pueblo  of  the  province  of  the  Piros,  San  Anto- 
nio, Senecii,  the  Rio  del  Norte  above,  up  to  the  Pueblo  of  San 
Ger6nimo  of  the  Taos,  lying  in  a  district  of  one  hundred 
leagues,  said  pueblo  being  on  either  side  of  the  river,  and 
some  of  them  somewhat  separated  by  other  creeks  at  a  dis- 
tance of  seven  or  eight  leagues, — they  all  must  have  afoot 
80,000  souls.  All  these  people  and  nations  were  divided,  as 
to  their  gentilism,  in  two  portions,  warriors  and  wizards;  the 
warriors  endeavoring  to  reduce  to  their  command  and  empire 
all  the  people,  as  opposed  to  the  wizards;  and  the  wizards,  with 
like  opposition,  tried  to  persuade  the  people  to  believe  that 
they  caused  the  rains  and  made  the  earth  give  good  crops  and 
other  things  the  warriors  jeered  at;  wherefore  there  always 
were  continual  civil  wars  among  them,  so  tierce  that 
they  killed  themselves  mutually,  and  desolated  the  pueb- 
los entirely,  wherein  the  devil  reaped  his  ordinary  harvest. 
Their  religion  though  not  a  formal  idolatry,  was  almost 
such;  because  for  whatever  action  they  did  they  offered 
something;  as,  for  example,  at  the  time  they  were  about 
to  go  fighting,  they  offered  meal  and  other  things  to  the 
scalps  of  those  whom  they  had  killed  of  the  enemy.  When 
they  go  to  hunt  they  offer  as  a  sacrifice  meal  to  the  heads  of 
deer,  hares,  rabbits  and  other  dead  animals;  if  they  go 
fishing  they  offer  something  to  the  river.  Women  who 
desire  to  attract  men,  go  out  to  the  country  plump  and 


ILLUSTKATKl)    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  ()79 

healthy,  and  raise  a  stone  or  small  post  upon  some  hillock,  and 
there  offer  to  it  some  meal,  and  during  eight  days  they  eat 
nothing  but  what  might  unsettle  their  stomachs  and  provoke 
them  to  vomit;  they  scourged  themselves  cruelly  and  when 
they  are  unable  to  do  anything  else,  and  their  plumpness 
has  turned  into  thinness  and  they  look  like  'shadows 
black  from  hell"  they  come  back  quite  confident  that  the 
first  man  they  meet  will  covet  them  and  give  them  mantas, 
the  acquisition  of  which  is  their  principal  aim.  But  this 
worship  is  not  in  the  least  reverential,  because  they  are 
permitted  to  be  trodden  or  spit  upon,  and  are  simply  used 
as  a  ceremony.  In  order  to  make  one  of  the  Indians  captain 
they  are  wont  to  gather  in  a. town,  where  they  tie  the  candi- 
date naked  to  a  pillar  and  with  certain  thistle  whips  they  all 
scourge  him;  afterwards  he  is  entertained  with  comedies  and 
other  plays  and  if  he  stands  the  ordeal  unruffled  and  without 
crying,  made  no  grimaces  at  the  one,  nor  laughed  at  the  other, 
he  is  proclaimed  a  very  brave  captain.  Thus  the  devil  keeps 
them  always  deceived  with  a  thousand  sorts  of  supersti- 
tions. They  have  always  been  a  people  with  some  govern- 
ment or  community;  the  elders  gather  with  the  great  captain 
to  confer  and  discuss  the  things  that  concern  them,  and 
after  determining  what  is  to  be  done  the  great  captain  goes 
out  through  the  pueblo  proclaiming  personahy  what  is  com- 
manded to  be  obeyed.  This  is  practiced  even  today  and  is 
considered  as  an  act  of  great  authority  for  the  great  captains 
to  proclaim  what  must  be  done  in  the  pueblo. 

How  Well  They  Allend  to  the  Things  of  Christianity — Turquoise  Mines. 
"Today,  be  it  said  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  our  Lord, 
that  with  the  tender  care  we,  the  religious,  have  taken  of 
them,  they  are  so  w^ell  indoctrinated,  that,  at  the  ringing  of 
the  bell  for  mass  and  doctrine,  they  all  come  neatly  arranged, 
and  enter  the  church  to  pray,  as  is  done  by  old  Christians; 
and  the  boys  and  girls  who  always  come  to  doctrine  in  the 
morning  and  in  the  evening,  hasten  there  with  the  greatest 
care  and  without  failing.  The  singers,  who  take  turn  every 
week  in  the  chapels,  sing  every  day  in  the  church  at  the  reg- 
ular hours,  at  first  mass,  high  mass  and  vespers,  with  punc- 
tuality.    All  of  them  confess  themselves  in  their  own  Ian- 


680  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

guage,  and  prepare  for  confession  by  examining  their  sins, 
and  by  bringing  them  marked  on  a  string  by  means  of  knots, 
and  thus  always  submit  them  to  the   rehgious,  with  remark- 
able affection.     Scarcely  one  among  them  is  taken  ill,  when 
he  at  once  comes  to  the  religious,  or  sends  someone  to  call 
him,  imagining  that  by  simply  seeing  him,  he  will  be  healed, 
and  if  the  disease  advances  he  confesses  in  order  to  die  well. 
This  is  the    constant  task  of  the  religious,  to  cure  their 
diseases  and  supply  all  their  needs.     And  so  they,  as  well  as 
the  things  of  the  church,  are  held  by  them  in  remarkable  affec- 
tion; they  hasten  to  the  church  with  remarkable  attachment 
and  devotion,  as  all  the  churches  and  convents  which  they 
have  built  abundantly  testify,  all  of  which,   though  it  may 
seem  exaggeration  to  say  it,  they  are  very  sumptuous  and 
curious,  having    been  constructed  by  the  women  and  the 
boys  who  attend  Christian  doctrine;  for  among  these  nations 
it  is  customary  for  the  women  to  build  the  houses  and  the 
men  spin  and  weave  their  mantas  and  go  to  war  and  the 
hunt;  and  if  we  put  a  man  to  build  a  wall  he  is  ashamed  of  it, 
and  the  women  laugh  at  him.     By  these  means  more  than 
fifty  churches  have  been  built  with  very  curious  roofs,  en- 
gravings and    Haceria'  (lacework)  and  the  walls  very  well 
painted,  for  there  are  wonderful  mountains  abounding  in  all 
sorts  of  woods  and  due  to  the  care  we,  the  religious,  have 
taken    of  teaching  other    things  to  the  Indians  attending 
Christian    doctrine,    there  are  many  good  adepts    in  car- 
pentery  and  all  the  other  arts,  hence  today  they  are  so  well 
versed  in  everything,  particularly  in  matters  of  faith  and 
Christianity;  it  is  admirable  to  see  that,  in  less  than  twenty 
years    since    the    administration    of    baptism    began,    and 
especially  in  the  last  eight  years,  during  which  the  harvest 
of  souls  has  been  more  abundant,  they  look  like  Christians 
of  a  hundred  years.  As  we  pass  along  the  roads  and  they  hap- 
pen to  see  us  from  their  pueblos  or  plantations,  they  all  come 
out  to  receive  us  with  very  great  joy,  saying:     'Praised  be 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  praised  be  the  Most  Holy  Sacrament," 
and  when  we  arrive  at  their  pueblos  they  receive  us  with 
bouquets  and  treat  us  to  fish,  or  to  whatever  they  have;  and 
the  captain  of  the  pueblo  bids  us  welcome  and  hails  us  with 
congratulations,  thai  we,  as  priests  of  God,  may  honor  their 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  681 

pueblos,  where  they  were  living  as  savages.  They  all  dress 
in  cotton  and  skins,  and,  after  their  own  fashion,  endeavor 
to  bedeck  themselves  with  turquoise  necklaces  and  earrings. 
For  they  have  mine?  of  these  stones  and  they  shape  them, 
though  imperfectly,  and  the  women  dress  themselves  in  cot- 
ton mantas  painted,  and  embroidered  with  the  same  ma- 
terial. 

What  That  Kingdom  Owes  to  Your  Majesty. 

"This  land,  then,  having,  with  its  inhabitants,  been  sub- 
ject to  the  devil,  as  his  slaves,  until  this  time,  and  the  whole 
of  it  been  tilled  with  caverns  of  idoltry  where  the  Most  Holy 
name  of  Jesus  was  not  only  never  adored,  but  not  even 
known,  nor  was  his  Most  Holy  Cross  known,  has  been 
turned,  in  these  few  years,  into  a  land  filled  with  churches 
and  cross  pedestals,  and  its  dwellerstoday  salute  themselves 
in  loud  tones  by  praising  the  Most  Holy  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  and  the  Most  Holy  name  of  Jesus  Christ;  and,  on  the 
peal  of  the  bells  for  the  Ave  Maria  they  fall  on  their  knees, 
wherever  those  peals  reached  them  and  amid  acclamations 
adore  the  Most  Holy  Virgin  saying  in  a  loud  voice  the  three 
customary  'Hail  Maries':  and  in  like  manner  when  they  hear 
the  peal  for  the  souls  in  purgatory,  saying  an  Our  Father 
and  Hail  Mary;  a  land,  in  which  the  devil  seemed  to  contam- 
inate the  air  rendering  it  uninhabitable  is  today,  so  changed 
and  peaceful  as  to  carry  uncovered  the  Most  Holy  sacrament 
in  processions;  and  that,  in  order  to  cause  this  change  and 
mutation,  God  should  have  chosen  as  his  ministers  us  poor 
sons  of  my  Father  Saint  Francis;  the  whole  thing  looks  as 
though,  'comtemptibia  elegit  Deu,s  ut  confundat  Jortia.' 
Although  it  is  clearly  and  evidently  seen  that  God  is  the 
author,  and  first  cause,  for  which  we  give  him  thanks,  we 
owe  them  to  Your  Majesty  as  well;  for,  without  your  royal 
support  we  could  not  have  been  able  to  stand  so  many 
expenses;  and  Your  Majesty  should  be  justly  proud  of  being 
the  cause  of  all  this  change  and  of  enjoying  all  the  merit  of 
those  conversions,  whereby  we  rescued  thousands  of  souls 
from  the  claws  of  the  devil,  a  thing  which  could  not  have 
been  done  without  a  miracle;  and  God  left  it  and  remitted  it 
to  Your  Majesty,  that,  through  such  Catholic  means,  and  out 


682  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  | 

of  your  royal  treasury  you  should  enjoy  such  great  .results, 
spiritually  and  temporally;  and  we  taught  all  the  Indians 
ever  to  commend  Your  Majesty  to  God,  who  as,  at  the 
cost  of  so  many  expenses,  you  send  and  sustain  there  min- 
isters and  churches  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  And  we, 
the  religious,  as  your  devoted  and  obliged  vassals  and  chap- 
lains, never  fail  at  mass,  as  in  our  private  prayers,  to  pray 
for  Your  Majesty  in  that  far  off  Kingdom  of  yours  and  in 
that  primitive  church  where  Our  Lord  performs  so  many 
wonders.  In  all  and  by  all,  all  honor  and  glory  to  God  Our 
Lord. 

Fertility  of  the  Land.  ■ 

"All  this  land  is  very  productive,  and  yields  in  great  abun- 
dance all  that  is  sown  in  it;  corn,  wheat,  beans,  lentils,  chic- 
peas,  vetches,  peas,  pumpkins,  water  and  musk-melons, 
cucumbers— all  sorts  of  vegetables;  cabbages,  lettuce,  car- 
rots, garlics,  onions,  Indian  figs,  pitajaie  cactus,  'carjjos,' 
very  good  plums,  apricots,  peaches,  nutmegs,  acorns,  black- 
berries and  many  other  cereals  which  I  omit,  in  order  to 
avoid  prolixity;  I  will,  however  mention  separately  the  piiion 
(pine)  trees  which  are  of  a  different  species  from  those  of 
Spain,  because  they  are  larger  and  easy  to  break,  and  the 
trees  and  pine  fruit  (pinon)  are  small.  The  quantity  is  so 
great,  that  it  seems  inexhaustible,  and  is  so  much  esteemed, 
that  the  fanega  is  worth  from  $23  to  $24,  and  those  who  sell 
it  again  make  a  profit  on  them.  And  the  land  is  so  fertile  that 
from  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  thirty 
fanegas  of  wheat  have  been  known  to  be  raised  from  one 
fanega  of  seed  planted,  and  it  has  happened  that  goodly 
harvests  have  been  raised  from  the  stubble,  without  the 
latter  having  received  any  further  benefit  than  a  little 
irrigation. 

Fish. 

"It  has  also  many  rivers  which  contain  an  abundance 
of  fish,  and  large  marshes,  and  especially  the  Rio  del  Norte, 
whose  water  when  low,  and  when  it  can  be  forded,  reaches 
up  to  the  saddle;  and  when  it  is  swollen  it  has  a  rapid  and 
strong  current,  on  account  of  the  water  which  it  receives 
from  the  melted  snows  alone.     And  the  same  is  true  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  683 

other  rivulets  that  join  it,  all  of  which  are  very  abundant  in 
bagres,  trouts,  sardines,  eels,  needlefish,  'matalotas  boqui- 
netes,'  topes  and  many  others. 

Game  or  Hunt. 

"The  abundance  of  game  seems  indnite.  There  are  deer 
of  man}^  dffferent  species,  and  some  like  large  mules  have 
their  tails  like  a  mule's  and  others,  as  large  as  these,  although 
their  tail  is  like  that  of  the  other  deer,  but  so  hairy  as  to 
seem  a  Moorish  shield  upon  their  haunches,  and  they  are  so 
large  and  strong,  that  the  master  of  the  camp  had  hitched  to 
his  carriage,  through  vanity,  two  of  these  deer  which  had 
been  tamed  since  they  were  young;  and  they  pulled  with  so 
much  briskness,  that  it  was  necessary  to  hitch  to  their 
sides  very  slow  mules  to  check  them.  There  are  many  other 
smaller  ones,  from  which  the  Indians  get  their  nourishment 
and  living,  and  from  their  skins  they  make  and  tan  such 
good  leathers  that  they  sell  them  in  Mexico  for  five  and  six 
dollars.  Rabbits  and  hares  are  innumerable;  there  are  also 
very  many  foxes,  wolves,  mountain  lions,  wild  cats  and  bears. 
There  is  a  species  of  mountain  sheep,  very  large,  with  thick 
horns,  which  can  scale,  at  full  speed,  any  rock  or  wall,  how- 
ever smooth  or  high,  as  if  it  was  a  ladder;  and  when  prancing 
and  running  away  they  are  wont  to  jump  down  from  very 
high  precipices,  landing  at  the  bottom  on  their  horns  and  at 
once  rise  with  such  celerity  as  if  they  had  done  nothing. 
And  that  kingdom  abounds  in  all  kinds  of  animals,  and  in 
the  same  way  the  live  stock  we  have  taken  there  from  New 
Spain  has  propagated  very  much,  for  there  was  nothing 
there  of  this  sort,  such  as  cattle  and  sheep  for  ordinarily  the 
ewes  give  triplets;  hairy  stock  such  as  mules  and  famed 
horses,  particularly  those  used  in  the  army.  And  it  is  a  very 
ordinary  sight  to  see  the  Indians  go  on  a  general  hunting; 
for,  from  four  to  five  thousand  of  them  get  together  and  go 
along  eyeing  all  the  hillocks,  and  surrounding  them  in  such  a 
manner,  that  the  game  may  meet  the  huntsmen  from  every 
side  when  it  attempts  to  run  away;  and  thus  they  keep  on 
closing  the  round  up  in  such  a  way  that  in  a  short  time  they 
have  all  the  chase  gathered  together,  in  which,  animals  of 
every  species  are  seen.    Those  who  do  the  killing  enter  within 


I 


■684  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

the  enclosure,  and  those  from  the  outside  guard  the  same 
and  whatever  is  killed  is  then  distributed,  though  the. cap- 
tains have  the  advantage. 

Rigor  of  the  Temperature. 

"The  temperature  is  by  extremes:  for  the  winter  is  very 
rigorous,  and  there  is  so  much  snow,  ice  and  cold,  that  all 
the  rivers,  marshes  and  even  the  Rio  del  Norte  freeze  in  such 
a  manner,  that  loaded  wagons  can  pass  over  the  ice,  and  at 
full  speed  large  flocks  of  stock  cross  over  it  as  if  it  was 
over  land  on  very  firm  ground.  It  is  then  that  we,  the  relig- 
ious, have  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  cross  these  rivers  to  the.- 
ministering  of  the  pueblos,  for,  as  the  rivers  are  closed  with 
ice,  they  are  on  the  surface  like  a  crystal  mirror,  so  shppery 
that  on  horseback  or  afoot  we  fall  many  times;  and,  as  the 
remedy  for  this  is  to  throw  earth  on  the  surface  so  that  the 
feet  may  step  firmly,  we  cannot  get  the  earth  because  the 
ground  is  so  frozen,  that  it  is  necessary  in  order  to  dig  a 
grave  in  the  church-yard,  first  to  build  a  fire  over  it  so  as  to 
unfreeze  the  ground,  for  it  cannot  be  dug  by  means  of  bars. 
And  suffice  it  to  say  that,  when  we  are  saying  mass,  we  place 
two  fire-pans  one  on  each  side  of  the  chalice,  and  yet  with 
all  this,  and  the  heat  of  the  multitude  of  people  who  come  to 
the  church  the  wine  freezes;  and  so  every  winter  many 
Indians  are  frozen  in  the  country,  and  many  Spaniards  too 
get  their  ears,  feet  and  hands  frozen;  and  on  the  contrary, 
the  heat  in  summer  is  more  unbearable  than  the  cold  is  in 
winter.  Thus  it  appears  that  sometimes  the  breathing  fails 
in  some  provinces  more  than  in  others. 

Grand  Apache  Nation — (Known  Today  as  Navajoes). 
"What  has  been  said  will  be  sufficient  in  order  that  the 
nature  of  the  pueblos  of  New  Mexico  may  be  understood 
which  lie  on  both  sides  of  the  Rio  del  Norte  in  a  district  com- 
prising one  hundred  leagues  on  either  side  of  said  river,  all 
of  which  are  surrounded  on  all  parts  by  the  grand  Apache 
nation.  For,  without  any  exaggeration,  it  alone  has  more  peo- 
ple than  all  the  other  nations  of  New  Spain  combined,  even  if 
the  Mexican  nation  enters  into  the  calculation.  It  is  a  very 
brisk  and   warlike  nation,  and   very  fiery  in  war.     Even  in 


686  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

their  manner  of  speaking  they  show  their  unhkeness  to  the 
other  nations,  for  these  talk  in  low  tones  and  slowly,  while 
the  Apache  seem  to  wreck  their  hearers  with  their  word. 
They  do  not  live  in  towns  nor  houses,  but  in  tents  and  ranch- 
ing camps,  wherefore  they  change  from  mountains  to  moun- 
tains in  pursuit  of  game,  which  is  their  nourishment,  although 
each  main  and  proper  ranching  camp  has  its  designated  ter- 
ritory in  which  they  plant  corn  and  other  seeds.  They  are 
dressed  in  chamois  dresses  which  are  the  skins  of  deer,  very 
well  tanned  and  brilliant,  after  their  fashion,  and  their  women 
dress  gallantly  and  decently.  They  have  no  idolatry  except 
that  of  the  sun,  and  even  that,  is  not  general  in  all,  and  they 
laugh  to  scorn  all  the  nations  that  have  idols.  It  is  their 
custom  to  have  as  many  wives  as  they  can  support,  and  the 
wife  that  is  caught  in  adultery  is  irremissibly  executed  by 
cutting  off  her  ears  and  repudiating  her.  They  are  very 
obedient  to  their  elders  and  hold  them  in  great  respect.  They 
teach  and  chastise  their  children,  in  contrast  with  the  other 
nations  which  have  no  such  punishments.  They  pride  them- 
selves highly  for  speaking  the  truth,  and  the  one  among  them 
caught  in  a  lie  is  held  in  disgrace.  Although,  because  of  its 
being  one  nation,  their  language  is  also  one,  yet,  as  it  is  so 
widely  spread,  it  (the  language)  fails  not  to  vary  somewhat  in 
some  of  the  ranching  camps,  but  not  in  anything  that  cannot 
be  very  well  understood.  Commencing  then  from  its  start, 
when  we  go  to  New  Mexico,  that  is,  from  the  province  of  the 
Perrillo  Apaches,  it  runs  from  this  portion  of  the  west  as  far 
as  the  south  sea,  to  where  there  is  more  than  three  hundred 
leagues,  and  it  keeps  on  continuously  to  the  north  without 
any  limit  that  wp  have  yet  found  to  it  in  that  direction,  and 
meets  with  the  Strait  of  Anian;  and,  making  with  this  nation, 
the  circuit  of  New  Mexico,  it  expands  for  more  than  a  bun- 
dred  leagues,  until  it  again  touches  the  province  of  Perrillo, 
making  in  this  more  than  three  hundred  leagues  in  circum- 
ference over  the  frontiers  of  New  Mexico.  It  is  all  such  a 
warHke  nation  that  it  has  been  the  crucible  of  Spanish  effort, 
and  for  this  reason  they  esteem  them  very  highly  and  say, 
that  only  the  Spaniards  are  worthy  of  the  title  of  people,  and 
not  the  nations  of  the  Indian  settlements. 


ILI.USTUATIOl)    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MKXICO. 


6h: 


Beginning  of  the  Conversion  of  the  Apaches. 

"I  began   the  conversion   of    this   Apache   nation  on  the 

northern  side  in  the   ranching  camps  of  Captain  Quinia,  well 

known  for  his  warlike  nature,   by   planting  .there  the  first 

crosses:  and   the  same   being  continued    by  one   religious, 


Santa  Fe  in  1867.    (l)  Santa^Fe's'Old  Catheclral-(2)  Stone  Arch  of  New  Cathedral 

In  process  of  construction— (3) .'Simon  Delgado's  Store  and  Residence,  on 

which  site  was  the  old    Spanish    Military    Church— (4)    Spiegelberg 

Block— (5)  Selignian's  Store— (6)  Exchange  Hotel— (7)  Laniy  Corner. 


they  rebelled,  after  Captain  Quinia,  his  wife  and  children 
had  been  baptized,  and  attempted  to  kill  the  priest  who 
was  catechizing  them.  With  their  arrows  already  pointed 
at  him,  they  however  did  not  dare  to  do  it,  but  ran  away 
from  the  ranching  camp  leaving  the  F'ather,  who  abandoned 
them  on  that  occasion.  But  they  again  became  peaceful,  for 
this  always  happens  in  the  beginning  of  all  the  conversions. 


688  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Conversion  of  the  Xila  Apaches   and  Remarkable  Hieroglyphic  of  an 
Apache  Captain. 

"Coming  again  to  the  beginning  of  this  Apache  nation,  the 
nearest  to  the  Province  of  Perrillo  is  that  of  the  Xila  Apaches, 
fourteen  leagues  from  the  Pueblo  of  San  Antonio  de  Senecii, 
of  the  Province  of  the  Piros.  Our  Lord  deigned  that  its 
Captain  Major,  named  Sanaba,  should  be  converted,  because, 
he  had  heard  me  preach  many  a  time  at  Senecii  v^^here  he 
ordinarily  attended.  And  he  of  his  ov^n  motive  preached 
to  those  of  his  ranching  camps  and  so  the  one  in  which  he 
lived  was  converted;  and,  by  degrees,  he  went  on  converting 
the  others  that  are  subject  to  him,  and  so  we  have  there 
today  already  a  religious  Indian  who  is  catechizing  and 
settling  them. 

"I  cannot  but  mention  on  this  occasion  two  particular 
cases  which  happened  to  me  in  their  conversion  wherein 
Your  Majesty  will  notice  what  happens  there.  One  was: 
That  while  I  was  going  to  this  Pueblo  of  Xila  in  order  to 
catechize  them,  their  Captain  Sanaba  learned  about  it,  and 
came  to  receive  me  fourteen  leagues,  at  the  Pueblo  of  San 
Antonio  de  Senecii,  and  after  I  had  treated  him  with  what  1 
was  able  to,  he  commanded  a  servant  to  untie  a  small  bundle  he 
had  along  and  he  drew  .)ut  of  it  a  folded  deerskin,  which  is  a 
tissue  of  deer  well  dressed,  and  presented  it  to  me.  I  being 
ignorant  of  what  it  contained  and  persuaded  that  he  simply 
presented  it  to  me,  I  told  him  that  he  already  knew  why  I 
did  not  care  that  they  should  give  me  anything;  that  the 
only  thing  I  desire  from  them  was  that  from  their  whole  hearts 
they  should  adore  the  Lord  of  Heaven  and  earth.  But  he 
laughing,  told  me  to  unroll  the  skin  and  see  what  was  within. 
I  did  so,  and  I  observed  in  it  that  it  was  very  white  and 
large,  in  its  center  was  painted  a  sun  in  green  color  with  a 
cross  over  it,  and  under  the  sun,  the  moon  was  also  painted  in 
gray  color  with  another  cross  over  it.  And,  although  some- 
thing of  what  it  meant  flashed  across  my  mind,  I  inquired 
from  him  the  meaning  of  that  painting.  He  answered  thus: 
Father,  until  now  we  had  not  known  any  other  benefactor  as 
great  as  the  sun  and  the  moon;  because  the  sun  warms  and 
lights  up  by  day,  and  breeds  up  our  plants,  and  the  moon 


i 


ILLUSTRATKI)    IIISTOHY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  689 

gives  us  light  at  night,  and  so  we  adored  these  two  objects 
as  the  being  that  did  us  so  much  good,  and  we  did  not  know 
there  was  anything  better.  But  now  that  you  have  taught 
us  that  God  is  the  Lord  and  Creator  of  the  sun  and  moon  and 
of  ah  things,  and  that  the  Cross  is  the  sign  of  God,  I  have 
ordered  the  Cross  painted  upon  the  sun  and  the  moon  that 
you  may  understand  that  we  do  the  things  you  teach  us, 
and  we  do  not  forget  that  above  all  things  we  adore  God  and 
liis  Holy  Cross,  God  be  praised  and  blessed  for  all.  He  alone, 
who  has  dealt  with  conversions,  knows  the  spiritual  joy  a 
religious  person  receives  when,  on  such  occasions,  he  sees 
the  purpose  of  his  work  accomplished  with  abundant  fruit, 
and  considers  the  dangers  he  has  passed  as  well  employed. 
At  the  same  time  the  naturally  discursive  talent,  with  which 
God  has  endowed  this  nation,  will  be  very  well  understood, 
for  I  know  not  what  better  reasons  could  the  old  natural 
philosophers  give,  in  our  opinion,  to  persuade  themselves  into 
the  adoration  of  our  true  and  universal  Creator,  Redeemer 
and  Lord. 

Conversion  of  the  Navajoe  Apaches. 

"Leaving,  then,  this  province  of  the  Xila  Apaches,  and 
going  ahead  in  the  same  direction,  that  is,  by  the  west  side 
of  the  settlements,  along  the  boundary  line  for  more  than 
fifty  leagues,  we  meet  with  the  province  of  the  Navajoe 
Apaches,  who  though  being  of  the  same  Apache  nation,  as 
the  foregoing,  they  are  subjected  and  subordinated  to  another 
Major  Captain,  and  have  a  distinct  way  of  living;  for  the 
former  did  not  plant,  but  hved  from  the  chase,  and  we  have 
broken  to-day  lands  for  them  and  taught  them  how  to  plant; 
while  the  latter,  of  Navajoe,  are  very  extensive  farmers,  for 
that  is  what  'Navajoe,'  signifies — large  plantations.  This  pro- 
vince is  the  most  warlike  of  all  the  Apache  nation,  and  where 
the  Spaniards  have  shown  well  their  courage. 

"This  mountain  chain  runs  for  a  distance  of  another  fifty 
leagues  which  are  all  filled  with  the  mineral,  salt  petre. 
And  as  all  these  settled  and  Christian  nations  are  very  much 
inclined  to  painting,  and  in  order  to  have  their  dresses  painted 
they  need  salt  petre  which  exists  only  in  those  ridges:  and, 
in  order  to  go  and  get  it,  two  or  three  thousand  Indians  band 


690  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

together  whom  the  said  Navajoe  Apaches  go  out  to  meet  in 
warlike  terms  in  defense  of  their  land  and  thereupon. very 
many  deaths  follow  unless  they  arrive  there  on  occasions 
when  the  Apaches  have  already  retired  toother  mountain 
ridges  to  hunt;  and  after  they  know  that  they  have  come  to 
take  the  salt  petre  away  from  them,  they  purposely  join  to 
go  and  make  war  upon  the  Christians  in  order  to  avenge  the 
latter's  entrance  into  their  lands.  And  the  multitude  is  so 
great  that,  in  two  days,  more  than  thirty  thousand  Indians, 
of  bow  and  arrow  get  together;  and  this  is  quite  a  meager 
calculation  for,  sometimes  when  the  Spaniards  have  gone 
there  to  punish  them,  on  account  of  the  many  Christian 
Indians  they  kill,  although  they  (the  Spaniards)  gave  them 
sound  drubbings,  catching  them  by  surprise,  they  found  the 
camps  always  swarming  with  warriors  without  number. 
They  have  some  sorts  of  underground  habitations,  and  cer- 
tain fashion  of  shanties  to  gather  in  their  harvests  and  they 
always  dwell  in  that  post.  And  now,  during  the  month  of 
September,  of  last  year,  1629,  Our  Lord  vouchsafed  that  I 
should  pacif}^  them,  Lo  which  end  I  founded  a  convent  and 
church  at  the  jnieblo  of  Santa  Clara  of  the  Taos  nation,  Chris- 
tians, that  were  neighbors  in  the  frontier,  and  who  received 
many  damages  from  these  Apaches,  and  I  very  much  desired 
to  make  peace  with  them,  for  from  such  a  step  their  conver- 
sion would  ensue,  as  it  did  ensue.  And  as  the  success,  had 
in  it,  was  a  peculiar  one,  I  will  state  how  it  was  obtained,  as 
Your  Majesty  may  be  pleased  to  know  about  it. 

"In  the  month  of  September  of  last  year,  1629,  while 
attending  the  aforesaid  convent  of  Santa  Clara,  at  the  pueblo, 
called  Capoo,  which  was  the  tenth  and  last  I  founded  in  those 
conversions,  to  which  these  Navajoe  Apaches  more  frequently 
hastened  to  do  mischief,  and  having  seen  that  I  could  not 
catch  one  of  them  to  make  him  presents,  and  send  him  back 
to  his  land  to  his  captains  to  ask  them  to  come  and  treat 
about  making  peace,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  venture  to  send 
twelve  of  my  Christian  Indians,  men  of  talent  and  of  much 
courage;  for  which  purpose  I  called  together  the  captains 
and  elders  of  the  pueblo,  and  manifested  to  them  the  desire 
I  had  that  such  peace  should  be  made,  both  to  stop  so  many 
deaths  as  well  as  that  they   might  deal  with  each  other  in 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  ()91 

their  granges,  and  mainly  because  in  this  way  we  might 
obtain  their  conversion,  which  was  my  chief  aim.  All  were 
of  this  opinion,  and  appointing  one  of  the  twelve  as  captain, 
as  he  was  the  most  talented,  they  gave  him,  after  their 
fashion,  the  embassy  of  peace,  which  consisted  of  an  arrow, 
and  instead  of  a  Hint,  a  feather  of  various  colors,  and  a  tube 
tilled  with  tobacco  ready  to  be  smoked,  with  another  feather 
which  show-ed  the  ones  in  which  they  had  smoked.  Well,  the 
arrow  was  for  the  purpose  that  on  arriving  at  the  ranching 
camp,  and  on  approaching  it  he  should  throw  that  meek 
arrow  as  a  signal  of  peace;  and  the  tube  was  for  the  purpose 
that  he  should  invite  them  to  smoke,  and  that  he  should  enter 
their  land  with  this  word  'peace'.  I  also  gave  him  my  word 
of  peace  which  was  a  rosary,  for  the  captain,  and  that  I 
desired  to  interview  him  in  order  to  treat  of  peace.  And  in 
order  that  this  endeavor  should  have  the  effect  it  had,  it  hap- 
pened to  be  the  eve  of  the  day  of  the  wounds  of  our  Father 
St.  Francis,  on  September  17,  of  last  year,  1629,  and  so  I 
told  them  to  come  all  to  mass  the  next  day,  to  which  all  the 
people  attended,  praying  to  God  for  the  good  success,  and 
asking  our  Father  St.  Francis  to  be  his  sponsor,  and  so  I  at 
once  dedicated  to  him  that  conversion  and  Province.  Mass, 
which  was  sung  with  all  solemnity,  having  been  heard,  these 
Indians  started  with  the  greatest  courage  and  spirit;  and, 
having  asked  for  my  blessing,  commenced  their  journey  from 
the  church  itself.  God  alone  knows  how  oppressed  my 
heart  was  on  seeing  the  danger  to  which  I  had  exposed  those 
Indians,  for  when  an  enterprise  fails  there  are  never  want- 
ing ill-disposed  persons  who  judge  it  as  rash;  and  if  the  same 
succeeds,  few  give  it  due  credit,  but  I  always  had  full  faith 
in  God,  Our  Lord,  that  He  would  protect  them  from  their 
enemies. 

^'When  they  had,  therefore,  arrived  in  sight  of  the  first 
ranching  camp,  the  frontier  of  that  indomitable  and  ferocious 
nation,  where  dwelt  the  chief  captain  of  all  those  frontiers, 
and  the  mightiest  cousin  of  the  cacique,  who  governed  them 
all,  and  who  had  come  there  to  raise  men  in  order  to  do  the 
Christians  considerable  damage,  they  shot  the  marked 
arrow,  which,  when  seen  by  the  enemy,  they  answered  them 
with    another  in  the  same  manner,   wherewith  they  com- 


i 


692  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

menced  to  approach,  though  at  a  safe  distance  and  with  mis- 
trust. On  arriving,  our  captain  delivered  him  his  embassy 
and  treated  him  to  the  pipe  of  tobacco,  and  in  the  same  way 
he  also  gave  ray  rosary,  and  gave  his  embassy  on  the  part 
of  his  captains  and  mine;  and  as  he  had  never  received  a 
rosary,  he  asked  what  meant  so  many  grains  on  that  string. 
Our  ambassador  answered  him,  as  his  opinion,  although  dis- 
cretely, that,  as  they  were  many  captains,  the  priest  sent 
them  there,  to  each  one  of  them,  his  word  that  he  would  be 
their  friend,  an  answer  which  satisfied  him  very  much;  to 
which  the  captain,  heaving  a  very  deep  sigh,  answered  that 
he  regretted  very  much  that  they  should  have  come  to  offer 
him  peace,  which,  however,  on  account  of  being  such  a  good 
thing,  and  the  circumstance  of  their  having  come  to  bring  it 
home  to  him,  he  could  not  but  receive;  but  that  he  was 
much  offended  at  the  Christians,  and  that,  on  this  occasion 
he  had  things  so  disposed  that  he  would  have  taken  ven- 
geance very  well;  but  that  he  accepted  and  wanted  peace; 
and  so  he  immediately  dispatched  the  arrow  and  tobacco 
pipe  to  his  cacique  and  remained  with  my  rosary  on  the 
neck;  and,  mistrustful  lest  this  should  have  a  double  mean- 
ing, he  said  to  our  men  that,  although  he  granted  peace  in 
the  name  of  all,  he  wanted  to  know  from  me  and  all  the 
Christian  captains  personally  if  it  was  true  that  we  gave  it 
to  him,  and  that,  therefore,  he  wanted  to  come  and  see  us 
at  our  pueblo, 

"I  was  advised  of  this  by  one  of  our  men  who  came  as 
courier,  and  I  causedmore  than  fifteen  hundred  souls  to  go 
out  and  receive  him.  I  waited  for  him  at  the  church  which 
I  commanded  to  be  well  adorned  and  to  be  lit  with  many 
lights  because  it  was  already  at  night  when  they  arrived: 
and,  because  this  nation  is  haughty  and  proud,  it  seemed 
tit  to  me  to  receive  this  captain  and  those  coming  with  him 
in  a  different  manner  from  the  other  nations:  for  we  sat  on 
the  ground  with  them  at  first,  being  satisfied  with  their 
plainness  until  we  taught  them  more  refinement;  the  Apache 
nation,  though,  being  so  proud,  it  seemed  opportune  to  me 
to  change  style,  and  so,  I  ordered  a  chair  placed  closed  by 
the  altar  upon  a  mat  and,  sitting  on  it,  I  received  him.  All 
the  people  came  before  him,  and,  among  the  Christian  cap- 


I 


(LLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  693 

tains,  this  Apache  captain  came,  and  four  others  of  his 
captains.  After  entering  the  church  and  offering  prayer  at 
the  altar,  the  chief  captain  of  the  Christians  came  to  me 
and  kissed  my  feet,  a  thing  I  did  not  reject  presently  neither 
had  I  prepared  it  before  hand,  and  the  same  thing  was  done, 
after  his  example  and  in  imitation  of  him  by  the  strangers; 
and,  after  having  saluted  me,  the  chief  said  that  those 
captains  had  gone  to  offer  him  peace  on  my  part  and  on  the 
part  of  their  captains,  and  that  he  came  to  know  it  personally 
for  the  sake  of  better  security.  Immediately  the  chief 
captain  of  the  Pueblo  rose,  and  offered  the  Apache  his  own  bow 
and  arrows,  saying  that  there  before  God,  who  was  present 
in  that  altar,  and  before  me,  who  was  his  priest,  he  gave  those 
arms  in  faith  of  his  word  that  he  never  would  break  the 
peace,  and  he  lay  them  at  the  altar;  and,  that  he  might 
know  that  all  were  of  the  same  mind  he  asked  the  pueblo  if 
all  of  them  consented  in  it,  and  uttering  a  big  yell  they 
answered,  yes.  Then  the  Apache  captain  selected  an  arrow 
from  his  carcax,  in  his  opinion,  the  best  one  made  of  white 
sharp  Hint,  and,  in  a  loud  voice  before  all,  spoke  thus:  'I 
do  not  know  who  it  is  that  you  call  God;  but,  since  you  call  on 
him  as  witness  and  support  of  your  word,  that  you  will  not 
break  your  faith  without  fail,  he  must  be  a  person  of  great 
power  and  authority,  and  good;  and  so,  too,  to  that  God,  be 
he  who  he  may,  I  give  my  word  and  faith,  in  the  name  of  all 
mine,  with* this  arrow  in  the  hand  of  this  priest,  and  that  for 
my  part,  nor  for  that  of  my  people,  peace  and  friendship 
will  never  fail.'  And  on  receiving  the  arrow  from  him  I 
told  him  if  he  wished  me  to  tell  him  who  God  was,  would  he 
be  pleased  to  hear  me  especially  after  having  pledged  his 
word.  And,  as  he  said  yes,  I  explained  to  him,  in  very 
brief  words,  who  God  was,  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  every- 
thing created  and  that,  to  ransom  us  from  eternal  punish- 
ment he  had  died  on  a  cross,  showing  him  everything  by  the 
paintings  on  the  altar;  and  that  he  who  would  not  adore  him 
and  be  baptized  would  be  condemned  to  go  and  burn  forever 
in  those  eternal  torments.  And  as  the  word  of  God  is  so 
efficacious,  it  moved  his  heart  so  much  that,  with  magnifi- 
cent spirit  and  deep  sighs,  he  turned  to  all  the  people  and, 
in  a  very  loud  voice  said  to  them:     'Oh  Teoas!     How   I  envy 


694  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

your  lot  for  having  here  a  man  who  teaches  you  who  God  is, 
and  so  many  good  things;  while  we  live  and  die  wandering 
through  those  camps  and  mountains,  like  deer  and  hares. 
I,  therefore,  declare  that  I  adore  this  God  whom  this  priest 
proclaims;  now  that  I  know  him,  I  grant  peace  and  give  my 
word  to  keep  it  in  all  its  force!"  And,  with  tearful  eyes,  he 
sank  upon  his  knees  to  kiss  my  feet,  whereupon  I  raised  him 
up,  and  embraced  him  with  all  the  tenderness  I  could,  and 
then  all  the  Christian  captains  embraced  him  likewise.  At 
this  moment  I  caused  the  bells  to  be  rung  and  to  sound  the 
trumpets  and  clarions,  a  thing  he  was  much  pleased  to  hear 
on  account  of  this  being  the  first  time  he  had  heard  them.  I 
then  hung  those  arrows  on  the  altar  as  trophies  of  the 
Divine  word  although  through  the  ministry  of  one  as  humble 
as  myself;  and  in  such  a  manner  did  I  manifest  the  fact  to 
the  pueblo,  so  that  they  all  might  give  thanks  to  His  Divine 
Majesty,  whereupon  the  Christian  captains  carried  their 
guests  home  and  I  entertained  them  as  I  best  could. 

"The  next  day  in  the  morning,  as  it  was  Saturday,  at  the 
ringing  of  the  bell  for  the  mass  of  our  lady,  to  which  all  the 
pueblo  attends,  this  A.pache  captain  also  came  with  the  other 
Christian  chiefs  and  with  his  own  men;  and,  learning  that  my 
name  was  Alonso,  he  asked  my  leave  to  be  so  named  himself: 
I  told  him  that  he  would  be  so  named  on  being  baptized, 
although  thereafter  all  called  him  Don  Alonso.  To  commence 
the  mass  I  put  on  the  best  ornaments  we  had,  and  he  was 
astonished  to  see  the  devotion  with  which  the  Spaniards  and 
Christian  Indians  were  praying  on  their  knees.  Before 
commencing  mass  I  married  a  couple  of  Indians;  and,  as  the 
Apaches  have  all  the  women  they  can  support,  it  appeared 
well  to  them  that  Christians  should  have  only  one,  and  that 
they  should  promise  to  themselves  mutual  fidelity  before 
God.  Wishing,  then,  to  commence  mass,  and  he  not  being 
yet  baptized,  I  told  him  that  not  until  he  should  be  baptized 
could  he  see  God  in  the  mass;  and  to  go  out  and  take  a  walk 
with  his  comrades  while  I  said  it.  He  answered  that  he  held 
himself  already  as  a  Christian;  and  thatheadored  God  as  earn- 
estly as  all  of  us,  and  that,  therefore,  he  wished  to  remain  in 
order  to  see  Him.  On  being  answered  that  he  could  not  do 
that  until  he  was  baptized,  he  commanded  his  comrades  to  go 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OP    NEW    MEXICO.  695 

out,  but  said  that  he  would  not  go  out.  In  order  to  amuse 
him,  1  commanded  the  singers  to  sing  the  Salve  Kegina  with 
organ  accompaniment,  in  all  solemnity,  and  also  at  the  sound 
of  trumpets  and  clarions.  And  clad  thus  in  full  vestments, 
at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  1  chanted  the  prayer  at  the  close  of 
which  I  again  sat  on  the  chair  and  repeated  to  him  a  few 
words  concerning  the  creation  and  the  redemption,  where- 
with he  was  every  time  more  confirmed  in  the  faith. 

"Some  Spanish  soldiers  had  gathered  around  for  the  pur- 
pose of  hearing  mass:  and  he  said  that  the  peace  he  had 
settled  with  the  Teoas,  he  desired  also  to  establish  with  the 
Spaniards.  Thereupon  he  gave  a  Spanish  captain,  who  was 
present  there,  an  arrow  by  my  hand,  as  a  pledge  of  his  word 
that  he  would  not  fail  in  peace,  and  our  Spaniard,  unsheath- 
ing his  sword,  gave  it  also  to  me,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Indian,  in  faith  that  he  granted  him  peace  in  the  name  of 
God,  and  at  the  same  time  accepted  his  pledge.  Everything, 
as  before,  was  placed  upon  the  altar,  offering  it  to  God  as 
witness  and  judge  of  that  act  which  was,  in  like  manner, 
hailed  amid  the  sound  of  bells,  trumpets  and  clarions  a  second 
time.  Wherefore  he  remained  full  of  comfort,  stating,  that 
the  truth  of  our  holy  Catholic  faith  could  be  well  perceived, 
as  it  was  celebrated  with  so  much  solemnity,  and  that  they 
lived  like  brute  animals  in  the  field.  And  this  done,  I  dis- 
missed him  with  some  Christian  captains  to  their  houses, 
and  said  the  mass  for  the  pueblo.  He  felt,  afterwards,  quite 
offended  at  this,  as  he  had  desired  to  have  seen  God  at  the 
mass. 

"He  and  his  men  stayed  there  for  three  or  four  days,  hear- 
ing with  devotion  the  things  concerning  our  holy  Catholic 
faith,  observing  and  noticing  the  contentment  in  which  the 
Christians  lived.  And  the  fear  of  the  punishments  of  hell  had 
particularly  settled  very  deeply  in  their  souls,  whence  by  all 
means  they  desired  to  become  Christians,  and  they  also  said 
that,  as  they  loved  very  much  their  wives  and  children  and 
those  of  their  nation,  it  would  grieve  them  exceedingly  that 
they  should  go  to  hell  through  not  being  Christians.  Where- 
fore they  earnestly  requested  me  to  go  to  their  ranching 
camps,  at  least  for  ten  days,  to  say  to  their  kin  what  they 
had   heard  of  me   here,  which  to  them  were   things  so  mar- 


696  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

velous  that  he  would  not  be  competent  to  tell  them,  nor  would 
his  people  believe  them,  if  he  told  them  himself.  He  at  last 
went  away  in  order  to  come  back  after  a  moon  and  a  half 
(a  month  and  a  half,  for  they  reckon  time  by  moons),  and  in 
order  to  confirm  this  peace  he  wanted  to  bring  along  all  the 
women  and  children  of  those  neighboring  ranching  camps 
with  many  tanned  deerskins  and  'piedra  lumbre,' (alum)  so 
as  to  hold  a  grand  fair  to  last  three  days  that  they  might  thus 
mutually  acquire  a  deep  friendship.  And  thenceforth  he 
assured  the  Spaniards  that  they  could  go  and  hunt  and  do 
anything  else  they  wanted  in  his  lands;  that  they  would  be 
treated  like  friends.  And  so  it  was;  for  previously,  if  any 
one  entered  there  for  only  a  quarter  of  a  league,  he  was  in 
great  danger,  for  every  day  they  killed  Christians;  and,  since 
this  peace  was  made,  even  old  women  went  out  for  wood  to 
those  parts,  and  if  they  met  with  any  Apaches  they  were  well 
attended  and  they  gave  them  a  share  of  the  game  they  had 
killed.  This  conversion  and  pacification  is  being  continued 
by  a  religious,  who  will  effect  it  even  better  than  I  could. 
This  province  must  have  along  the  frontier,  perhaps,  more 
than  fifty  leagues,  but  it  extends  to  the  west  for  more  than 
300  leagues,  and  we  do  not  know  where  it  ends.  And  this 
province  is  the  one  that  has  given  more  unrest  and  care  to 
New  Mexico,  but  because  its  inhabitants  are  so  warlike  and 
valiant,  as  because  there  are  in  it  more  than  2,000  souls,  as 
the  Spaniards  have  seen  every  time  they  have  gone  to  tight. 

Apache  Buffalo  Hunters  From  Cibola. 

"Leaving,  then,  this  province  of  the  Navajoe  Apaches,  and 
turning  to  the  east,  we  start  at  the  Province  of  the  Apache 
nation,  which  runs  through  that  part  and  turns  back  enclos- 
ing the  settlements  for  more  than  150  leagues,  until  it  reaches 
those  of  El  Perrillo,  where  we  started  on  entering  New  Mex- 
ico. This  nation  and  province  supports  itself  from  cows  they 
call  Cibola  (buffalo);  these  animals  are  similar  to  ours  in  size, 
but  different  in  form,  being  short-legged  as  well,  and  having 
a  hump  on  the  back  and  short  and  sharp  horns  and  thick 
manes  that  cover  their  eyes,  all  of  a  black  and  brownish 
color,  and  only  by  chance  is  one  seen  with  a  white  spot.  Its 
meat  is  more  savory  than   that  of  our  cows,  and   the  tallow 


1 


ILLUSTKATfc:n    HISTORY    OK    NKW    MEXICO.  697 

much  better;  they  do  not  bellow  as  our  bulls,  but  grunt  like 
hogs;  their  tails  are  short  with  little  hair  on  it.  The  hair  is 
not  like  that  of  our  stock,  it  is  crisp,  like  tine  fleece,  from 
which  very  good  mats  are  made,  and  of  the  young  ones,  very 
fine  vigogue  hats.  Likewise  the  hides  of  the  calves  are  used 
as  lining.  I  have  spoken  so  extensively  about  this  stock, 
because  of  its  great  number,  and  its  being  so  widely  scat- 
tered, that  we  have  found  no  limit  to  it,  and  we  have  infor- 
mation that  it  roams  from  the  south  to  the  north  sea,  and 
in  such  numbers  that  the  plains  are  thickly  covered  with 
them.  This  stock  alone  would  be  sufficient  to  make  a  prince 
rich  and  powerful,  if  they  could  be  taken  to  other  places. 
There  are  troops  of  more  than  forty  thousand  bulls,  without 
a  single  cow,  to  all  appearances,  for  they  all  go  apart  until  the 
time  of  coupling.  It  is  not  the  sort  of  stock  that  allows  itself 
to  be  caught  by  rounding  up,  not  even  by  mixing  our  domes- 
tic stock  with  them;  and  so  at  the  breeding  season,  the 
Spaniards  go  and  catch  the  small  heifers  which  they  breed 
up  to  goats.  As  this  stock  is  so  abundant,  and  as  it  changes 
its  hide  and  hair  every  year,  the}'  leave  their  wool  over  the 
fields  and  the  winds  blow  it  against  trees  or  into  crevices  in 
such  quantities,  that  it  could  enrich  many,  and  yet  all  is  lost. 
"From  this  stock,  then,  these  Apache  cattle  hunters  draw 
their  sustenance,  for  which  purpose  they  approach  very 
cautiously  their  watering  places,  and  hide  themselves  in  the 
waypaths,  painted  with  red  dust  smeared  with  the  mud  of 
the  same  ground,  and  stretched  in  the  deep  gutters  made 
by  the  stock.  While  the  stock  is  crossing  they  employ  to 
advantage  the  arrows  they  carry  with  them,  and  as  this  stock 
is  dull,  though  quite  ferocious  and  swift,  it  throws  itself  upon 
the  ground  while  smarting  under  its  wounds.  The  Indians 
then  skin  the  animals,  and  carry  home  the  skin,  the  tongues, 
the  loins  and  the  sinews  out  of  which  they  make  bowstrings. 
They  tan  the  skin  in  two  ways;  some  by  leaving  the  hair  on 
them  giving  it  the  appearance  of  plush  velvet;  this  they  use 
as  beds  and  covers  in  summer.  Others  are  tanned  and 
thinaed  without  the  hair  and  this  they  use  to  make  tents 
and  other  things  after  their  fashion.  With  these  assortments 
of  hides  they  trade  all  over  the  land  and  in  that  way  make 
their  living.     Both  the  Indians  and  the  Spaniards  use  these 


698  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

hides  for  dress  purposes  and  as  material  for  making  bags, 
tents,  breast  plates,  footwear,  and  anything  else  they  think 
it  fit  for.  And,  although  many  of  these  animals  are  killed 
every  year,  its  numbers  do  not  decrease,  but  rather  increases 
more  and  more,  for  the  plains  become  thick  with  it  and  it 
seems  inexhaustible.  These  Indians,  then,  start  to  the 
neighboring  provinces  to  trade  and  sell  this  assortment 
of  hides;  and  here  I  must  not  fail  to  say  a  thing  somewhat 
incredible,  although  ridiculous,  and  it  is  that  when  they  go 
out  to  trade  and  traffic,  they  carry  their  camps  including 
the  women  and  children,  who  live  in  tents  made  out  of 
these  buffalo  hides  well  thinned  and  tanned.  The  tents  are 
carried  loaded  on  the  backs  of  dogs  with  their  small  pack 
saddles  adjusted  to  them.  They  are  small  dogs,  and  five 
hundred  of  them  are  taken  on  a  drove  one  after  the  other, 
and  the  Indians  carry  their  merchandise  on  their  backs 
which  they  exchange  for  cotton  clothing  and  other  things 
they  need, 

"This  Province  of  Apache  buffalo  hunters  surrounds  (as 
already  said)  the  settlements  of  New  Mexico,  for  a  distance 
of  more  than  150  leagues  on  the  eastern  part,  and  it  stretches 
out  in  the  same  direction  for  over  a  hundred  leagues.  The 
whole  of  it  is  plentifully  settled  by  camps  formed  of  the 
aforesaid  tents  and  an  infinite  number  of  Indians.  Our  Lord 
has  been  pleased  that  their  conversion  and  pacification 
should  have  been  commenced  by  means  of  the  good  treat- 
ment given  them  by  the  religious;  and  their  principal  captain, 
having  heard  that  the  Spaniards  at  the  Villa  of  Santa  F6 
had  the  Mother  of  God,  which  was  a  statue  of  transit  of  the 
Virgin,  our  Lady,  taken  there  by  myself,  and  was  in  a  chapel 
well  bedecked  with  ornaments,  came  to  see  her  showing 
great  affection  and  then  they  became  Christians.  But  the 
devil,  seeing  that  in  this  way,  the  empire  he  held  was  being 
wrested  from  him,  employed  one  of  his  tricks  in  his  own 
defense,  using  as  a  means  to  that  end  the  greed  of  our 
Spanish  Governor,  who,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  slaves  to 
send  out  to  New  Spain  for  sale,  sent  an  Indian  captain, 
hostile  to  that  nation,  to  bring  him  as  many  captives  as  he 
could.  This  infernal  minister  succeeded  in  getting  to  the 
ranching  camp   of  the  Indian  captain,   who  had   given    his 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NKVV    MEXICO.  69^J 

word  to  the  Virgin  to  become  a  Christian  with  all  his 
comrades.  He,  the  Indian  chief,  fought  until  he  was  killed 
together  with  many  of  his  people,  as  he  had  along  with  him 
many  warriors.  The  dead  captain  had  on  his  neck  a  rosary 
I  had  given  him,  which  he  placed  before  his  aggressor  im- 
ploring him  by  it  and  by  the  Mother  of  God  not  to  kill  him; 
but  his  supplications  did  not  deter  the  savage  tyrant  from 
using  his  cruelty.  He  conveyed  a  few  captives  to  the  gov- 
ernor, who  feigned  that  he  was  not  wishing  to  receive  them, 
and  though  he  attempted  to  hang  the  Indian  he  had  sent,  on 
account  of  the  stir  caused  by  the  act,  his  greed  was  mani- 
festly apparent  to  all.  This  deed  caused  the  uprising  of  all 
this  Province,  although  (God  be  blessed)  we  are  again 
gradually  reducing  it  and  the  Indians  well  know  who  was 
to  blame,  and  for  that  God  must  be  adored  above  all  things. 
"It  seems  to  me  that,  with  the  foregoing  remarks,  this 
Apache  nation  will  be  sufficiently  well  known,  whose  lands 
(as  already  said)  reach  over  one  hundred  leagues,  along  the 
banks  of  the  Rio  del  Norte,  which  are  inhabited  by  the 
pueblos  of  New  Mexico,  namely:  Teoas,  (Tiguex)  Tanos, 
Tioas,  Xemes,  Piros,  Tompiras  and  Queres.  It  extends  on 
the  outer  bank  from  east  to  west,  and  from  north  to  south 
over  spaces  to  which  we  have  found  no  limit.  The  climate  is 
like  that  of  our  Christian  settlements  which  we  have  already 
related — extremely  cold  in  winter,  and  extremely  hot  in 
summer.  All  possible  diligence  is  being  made  for  their  con- 
version.    God  alone  knows  when  its  hour  will  arrive. 

Miraculous  Conversion  of  the  Xumana  Nation. 
"Leaving  now  all  this  western  part,  and  starting  from  the 
Villa  of  Santa  F6,  in  the  center  of  New  Mexico,  which  is  at 
37  degrees,  and  traversing  the  nation  of  the  Apache  buffalo 
hunters  for  over  a  hundred  and  twelve  leagues  to  the  east, 
we  come  to  the  Xumana  nation;  which,  on  account  of  its 
miraculous  conversion,  it  is  but  fair  to  relate  how  they  were 
converted.  Years  back,  while  a  religious  named  Fray  Juan 
de  Salas  traveled  along,  engaged  in  the  conversion  of  the 
Tompiras  and  saline  Indians,  where  the  best  salt  mines  in 
the  world  are  found,  whose  boundary  on  that  side  is  this 
Xumana  nation,  they  were  at  war  among  themselves;  and 


700  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Father  Fray  Juan  de  Salas  returning  to  the  saHne  Indians, 
the  Xumanas  said  that  persons  who  returned  for  the  sake  of 
the  poor  were  good  people;  and  so  they  became  attached  to 
the  Father,  and  begged  him  to  go  and  hve  among  them,  and 
every  year  they  came  to  look  for  him.  But  as  he  was  con- 
stantly employed  administering  the  Christian  Indians 
because  and  also  on  account  of  his  not  having  a  sufficient 
number  of  priests,  he  tactfully  kept  the  Xumanas  waiting 
until  God  should  be  pleased  to  send  out  more  laborers  which 
He  did  last  year,  1629,  by  inspiring  Your  Majesty  with  the 
idea  of  ordering  the  Viceroy  of  New  Spain  to  send  us  thirty 
religious,  who  were  brought  out  there  by  Father  Fray 
Estevan  de  Perea,  as  their  custodian,  and  so  we  immediately 
sent  out  said  Father  with  Father  Fray  Diego  de  Lopez,  giving" 
them  as  guides  Indians  of  the  same  nation.  Before  they 
started,  we  asked  the  Indians  to  tell  us  the  reason  why  they 
were  so  fondly  asking  to  be  baptized,  and  for  calling  on  us  to 
go  to  and  teach  them  the  Christian  doctrine.  They  answered 
that  a  woman  similar  to  the  one  whose  picture  we  had  there 
(a  picture  of  Mother  Luisa  de  Carrion)  had  appeared  to  them 
and  had  advised  them  in  their  own  language  to  call  us  priests 
that  they  be  taught  and  baptized,  and  not  to  be  lazy;  and 
that  the  woman  who  had  so  spoken  to  them  was  dressed 
exactly  as  the  one  painted  there,  but  that  the  face  was  not 
alike;  that  she  was  comely  and  beautiful.  And  after  that, 
every  time  the  Indians  came  again  from  that  nation,  on  see- 
ing the  picture  of  the  Virgin,  would  confer  among  them- 
selves and  say  that  the  dress  was  the  same,  but  not  the  face, 
because  that  of  the  woman  who  appeared  to  them  was 
comely  and  beautiful. 

"The  devil  seeing  that  those  souls  were  going  to  be  rescued 
from  his  claws  attempted  to  defend  himself  by  employing 
one  of  his  tricks  and  that  was,  he  caused  the  lakes  of  water 
from  which  they  drank  to  become  dry,  owing  to  which,  also, 
the  abundant  cibola  (buffalo)  stock  which  grazed  there,  and 
which  is  the  sustenance  of  all  these  nations,  abandoned  the 
plains  there;  and  then  by  means  of  the  Indian  wizards,  spread 
out  the  report  that  they  should  change  places  so  as  to  look  for 
what  to  eat,  and  that  the  religious,  whom  they  had  sent  for, 
would  not  come,  as  in  six  years  they  had  been  waiting  for 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  701 

theiii,  they  had  not  yet  arrived,  and,  on  this  occasion,  they 
had  already  delayed  so  long,  that  it  was  useless  to  wait  for 
them  any  longer.  Thereupon  the  captains  commanded  to 
break  up  the  camp  in  order  to  move  the  next  day  at  dawn; 
but  at  day  break  the  holy  woman  again  spoke  to  them  telling 
them  not  to  go,  that  the  religious  they  had  sent  for  were 
coming  soon;  then  holding  a  general  conference  among 
themselves,  they  sent  out  twelve  of  the  most  reliable  cap- 
tains to  go  out  and  see  if  it  was  so.  On  the  third  day  these 
Indians  met  with  the  religious,  whom  they  begged  to  show 
them  the  picture  of  the  woman  that  preached  to  them,  and 
as  the  Father  showed  them  one  of  mother  Luisa  de  Carrion, 
they  said  that  that  was  the  same  they  had  seen,  but  that  the 
other  was  more  beautiful  and  comely.  Immediately  they 
started  back  to  carry  their  comrades  the  news  of  the  arrival 
of  the  Fathers;  and  the  whole  nation  came  out  in  procession 
to  receive  them  with  two  crosses  in  front,  as  fitly  inspired  by 
heaven,  which  was  then  and  there  adored  by  the  said  Fathers 
and  three  soldiers  who  went  along  with  them,  the  priests 
also  drew  out  two  crucifixes  that  hung  from  their  necks,  and 
all  the  Indians  approached  to  kiss  and  venerate  them,  as  it 
they  had  been  old  Christians.  And  they  did  the  same  to  a 
statue  of  the  infant  Jesus  the  priests  had  brought  along, 
touching  it  with  their  lips  at  which  sight  all  of  our  men  were 
struck  with  admiration.  Now,  more  than  three  thousand 
souls  had  gathered  to  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  when 
Father  Salas  asked  them  if  they  wanted  to  be  baptized  from 
their  hearts.  To  this  the  captains  answered  that  it  was  only 
for  that  purpose  they  had  sent  for  them  and  gathered  in  that 
place.  The  priest  told  them  that,  although  it  was  true  that 
the  captains  spoke  for  all,  he  would  be  delighted  to  hear  it 
from  the  mouth  of  each  person,  and  that  as  that  was  impos- 
sible on  account  of  the  large  multitude,  that  the  word  should 
be  passed,  and  that  all  wishing  to  become  Christians  should 
raise  their  arms  and  he  would  thus  know  those  who  wanted 
to  become  Christians. 

"A  wonderful  thing;  for  with  a  wild  yell  all  raised  their 
arms  standing  on  foot  asking  for  holy  baptism;  and  what 
edified  us  more  was  that  the  mothers  held  in  their  arms  their 
babies,  caught  their  little  arms  and  stretched  them  upwards 


702  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

asking  for  them  in  loud  tones  the  holy  baptism.     It  is  the 
power  of  the  Divine  word  which  works  so  efficaciously.  . 

"These  religious  remained  there  for  a  few  days  preaching 
and  teaching  the  inhabitants  how  to  pray,  they  attending  the 
exercises  with  punctuality  morning  and  evening.  During 
this  time  messengers  came  from  the  other  neighboring 
nations  to  call  the  Fathers  that  they  might  go  and  teach  them, 
for  there  also,  they  said,  the  holy  woman  was  preaching. 
And  as  that  harvest  seemed  quite  abundant  to  the  Fathers, 
while  the  husbandmen  were  few,  and  the  people  being  so  well 
disposed  to  settle  and  build  churches  they  returned  to  where 
we  were  in  order  to  ask  for  more  priests.  Before  leaving 
they  assembled  all  the  Indians  to  take  leave  of  them,  and, 
availing  himself  of  the  opportunity,  Father  Salas  told  them 
that  during  his  absence  he  wanted  them  to  go  every  day,  as 
they  were  wont,  to  pray  before  the  cross  they  had  placed 
upon  a  rock,  and  that  in  all  their  needs  they  should  hasten 
with  faith  to  that  holy  cross,  and  that  the  cross  would  remedy 
them.  To  which  the  Indian  captain  answered  in  these  words: 
'Father,  we  are  not  yet  able  to  obtain  anything  from  God, 
since  we  are  animals  and  deer  of  the  fields,  but  you  can  get 
much  from  God  and  from  his  holy  cross  and  we  have  many 
sick  persons;  cure  them  before  you  go  away.'  And  it  seems 
that  God  permitted  that  there  should  be  on  that  occasion  so 
many  sick  persons  for  his  Divine  mercy  to  be  shown  upon, 
that  although  they  commenced  to  bring  the  sick  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  they  continued  working  all  that 
afternoon,  all  the  night,  and  the  next  day  until  ten  o'clock. 
One  of  the  religious  stood  on  one  side  and  the  other  on  the 
other  side;  and,  just  by  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  over 
them,  saying  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke.  *Loquente  Jesu,'  the 
prayer  of  our  lady,  'grant  us  Oh  Lord,'  and  that  of  Our  Holy 
Father  St.  Francis,  'deus  qui  ecclesiam  tuam,*  the  sick 
instantaneously  rose  up  completely  healed.  The  blind,  the 
lame,  thehydropics — all  were  cured.  Oh  infinite  goodness! 
let  the  angels  bless  Thee,  since  Thou  thus  deignest  to  honor 
the  sacred  religion  and  her  children  confirming  by  their  hand 
with  so  many  miracles  thy  Divine  word!  The  religious  who 
witnessed  such  wonders  stood  as  though  stunned  with  admi- 
ration at  the  sight  of  such  maVvels,  worked  by  their  hands; 


ILLUSTRATED    UISTOKY    OF    NKVV    MEXICO.  703 

and  tlie  Indians  became  so  well  confirmed  in  the  faith  of  the 
holy  cross  that  immediately  each  one  placed  a  cross  over  the 
frontispiece  of  his  tent,  and,  afterwards,  every  time  they  went 
out,  carried  it  along  as  their  guide.  Those  who  were  thus 
miraculousl}''  healed  were  so  many  that  they  could  not  be 
reckoned  in  numbers. 

"It  may  be  easily  inferred,  from  what  has  been  said  how 
copious  has  been  the  spiritual  good  our  seraphic  order  has 
done  throughout  the  world;  and  on  this  land  it  is  she  alone 
that,  amid  so  many  hardships  and  dangers,  has  made  these 
discoveries;  for,  as  we  have  already  said,  in  only  one  district 
of  a  hundred  leagues  we  have  baptized  more  than  80,000 
souls,  and  have  built  more  than  fifty  churches  and  many 
good  convents;  and  there  is  more  than  500,000  Indians  whom 
we  have  pacified  and  subdued  to  Your  Majesty  in  said  nations, 
same  being  now  gradually  catechized  and  baptized.  And  that 
land  which  had  hitherto  been  the  abode  of  the  devil,  without 
a  single  soul  to  praise  the  most  holy  name  of  Jesus,  is  today 
rich  with  temples,  and  convents  and  pedestals  for  the  holy 
cross;  there  being  no  one  throughout  the  whole  country  who, 
on  greeting  another  does  not  praise  God  and  his  holy  Mother 
at  the  same  time, — a  work  of  merit  in  which  Your  Majesty 
is  so  deeply  interested,  for  it  is  with  your  royal  help  that  we 
sustain  ourselves  in  those  conversions,  and  with  your  royal 
resources  that  we  found  churches  for  the  Lord.  Where- 
fore I  have  the  greatest  faith  in  believing  that  as  Your 
Majesty  expands  so  amply  the  field  of  Catholic  faith,  our 
Lord,  will  pay  it  all  back  to  Your  Majesty  even  in  this  life,  in 
the  same  coin, — that  is,  in  extending  the  authority  of  your 
royal  crown,  subduing  so  many  enemies  of  the  faith,  and 
laying  open  before  you  as  many  rich  treasures  of  mines  as 
the  ones  we  have  already  discovered. 

Kingdom  of  Quivira  Aixaos. 

"While  these  two  religious  had  been  performing  those 
wonders  in  the  Xumana  nation,  in  that  of  the  Lapies, 
Xabatos,  and  others  contiguous  in  that  vicinity  to  each 
other,  in  omnem  terram  exivit  sonus  corum,  their  voice  also 
reached  the  kingdom  of  Quivira,  and  that  of  the  Aixaos, 
which  lay  from  there  at  a  distifence  of  30  or  40  leagues  to  the 


V 


704  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

east.  These  Indians  also  sent  ambassadors  to  the  Fathers 
requesting  them  to  go  there  to  teach  and  baptize  them,  they 
saying  also  how  the  same  holy  woman  had  been  preaching  to 
them  to  come  and  call  the  religious;  but,  as  the  religious 
were  already  about  to  start  back  to  the  place  they  had  come 
from,  in  order  to  bring  what  was  necessary  for  the  purpose 
of  founding  churches,  they  told  the  ambassadors  that  more 
religious  were  coming  to  help  them:  so,  then,  the  ambassa- 
dors came  along  with  the  religious  and  related  to  them  the 
reason  why  they  asked  baptism. 

"I  cannot  but  relate,  on  this  occasion,  the  great  service 
done  Your  Majesty  by  my  order  in  the  pacification  and  con- 
version of  this  kingdom  of  Quivira  and  Aixaos,  which  nations 
are  well  known  for  their  greatness  and  richness.  As  the 
Villa  of  Santa  Fe  is  at  37  degrees,  by  going  thence  to  the 
east  for  150  leagues,  this  kingdom  is  reached,  and  it  is  at  the 
same  height.  In  like  manner,  we  know  from  evidence  and 
from  eye  sight  that  there  are,  in  this  kingdom  and  in  that  of 
Aixaos,  which  is  contiguous  to  it,  large  quantities  of  gold; 
and  every  day  we  see  some  of  their  Indians  who  trade  with 
our  people  and  who  testify  to  that  fact.  The  same  fact  is 
averred  by  the  Flemish  and  the  English,  who,  by  way  of 
Florida,  are  near  them,  and  buy  from  them  gold-dust  in 
great  quantity,  and  thus  these  heretics  enjoy  a  great 
wealth  which  the  Catholic  church  in  the  name  of  God  granted 
to  Your  Majesty,  and  therewith  make  war  upon  us.  In  the 
same  manner,  the  captain  and  great  pilot,  Don  Vicente  Gon- 
zales, of  the  Lusitania  nation,  who  went  from   Havana  to 

,  on  the  coast  of  Florida,  also  bears  witness 

to  it.  He  entered  the  large  river  in  which  the  English  are 
settled,  and,  penetrating  into  the  inland,  saw  the  Quivira 
and  Aixaos  Indians,  with  earrings  and  necklaces  of  gold, 
very  thick  and  so  soft  that  they  could  do  with  their  fingers 
whatever  they  pleased  with  them,  the  Indians  assuring  him 
there  was  a  great  deal  of  that  metal  in  Quivira  and 
Aixaos.  Therefore, in  order  that  Your  Majesty  may  enjoy  this 
treasure  it  is  necessary  that  this  kingdom  of  Quivira  and  that 
of  the  Aixaos  be  settled,  and  the  Indians  be  made  Christians. 
Upon  examination  of  the  country  of  Quivira  and  the  country 
towards  the  nearest  part  of  the  sea  that  lies  to  the  east, 


706  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

there  is  a  bay  marked  in  marine  charts  with  the  title  of 
'Esplritu  Santo'  at  29  degrees,  between  Apalache  cape  and 
the  coast  of  Tampico,  which  is  the  northern  coast  of  New 
Spain  within  the  gulf.  Coasting,  then,  from  this  kingdom  of 
Quivira  to  this  gulf,  there  is  not  a  hundred  leagues,  and  one 
can  go  from  there  to  Havana  in  five  or  six  days  by  coasting 
along  the  coast.  So  that  if  this  part  or  bay  of  Espiritu  Santo 
was  to  be  settled,  more  than  800  leagues  could  thereby  be 
saved,  the  same  being  the  distance  between  New  Mexico  and 
Havana  by  way  of  Mexico.  These  are  traveled  in  more  than 
a  year,  and  400  of  them  by  a  warlike  and  very  perilous  land, 
where  Your  Majesty  incurs  large  expenses  in  escorts  of 
soldiers,  and  in  wagons;  while  through  this  way,  that  is,  by 
the  Esplritu  Santo  bay,  all  that  is  avoided  is  only  100  leagues 
of  road  that  lie  between  the  kingdom  of  Quivira  and  this  bay, 
and  all  along  the  road  are  friendly  and  well  known  Indians 
who  must  be  by  this  time  converted  and  only  expecting  their 
baptism,  for  I  left  them  last  year  in  that  state  of  mind.  In 
like  manner,  by  this  route  is  much  nearer,  from  which  fact 
great  benefits  can  be  derived  by  shipping  all  the  hides  that 
can  be  secured  from  the  Cibola  stock  (buffalo)  and  its  wool, 
for  as  these  animals  shed  off  their  wool,  the  wind  gathers  it 
in  piles  and  heaps  it  over  the  plains  and  all  is  lost.  The  same 
thing  can  be  done  with  many  other  kinds  of  commodities 
which  this  land  produces.  Traffic  and  commerce  can  be  estab- 
lished easily  with  all  points  along  the  coast  of  New  Spain,  to- 
wit:  Tampico,  San  Juan  de  Lua,  Campeche,  Havana  and 
Florida  and  everything  in  sight  of  land;  wherefore  all  those 
ports  will  increase  in  wealth,  and  in  this  Your  Majesty  is 
greatly  interested.  Aside  from  these  advantages  in  that 
Espiritu  Santo  bay  you  have  many  pearls  and  amber  which 
are  lost  today  because  the  bay  is  not  settled. 

"This  is  the  cause  why  many  Dutch  pirates  infest  those 
parts  plundering  all  the  schooners  that  traverse  the  gulf, 
while  if  the  bay  was  settled,  they  would  have  no  place  to 
intrench  themselves.  Similarly,  in  order  to  carry  from 
Mexico  to  New  Mexico  the  necessaries  which  Your  Majesty 
sends  to  those  churches,  five  hundred  leagues  are  traveled, 
most  of  them  through  warlike  nations,  and  then  to  reach 
Quivira,  one  hundred  and  fifty   more  must  be  traveled,  a 


i 


708  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

transit  in  which  Your  Majesty  expends  more  than  what  the 
principal  is  worth,  yet  all  this  w^ould  be  avoided  by  sending 
it  on  a  schooner  from  Havana  to  Esplritu  Santo  bay,  if  the 
latter  is  settled. 

Holy  Occupation  of  the  Religious. 

"Well  may  it  be  inferred,  from  what  is  said  above,  how 
brilliant  are  the  labors  and  pilgrimages  of  the  religious  of 
my  Father  St.  Francis  in  the  service  of  God,  Our  Lord,  for 
not  only  have  they  wrested  from  the  devil  his  empire  on  those 
souls,  but  have  destroyed  all  idolatry  and  adoration  of  the 
demon:  they  have  caused  the  Lord  and  Creator  of  all  things 
to  be  adored  where  there  were  only  dens  of  idolatry;  very 
sumptuous  and  costly  temples  have  been  erected  over  ail  the 
land,  temples  which  the  religious  have  made  with  such  care 
that  in  order  so  to  make  them,  they  willingly  despoiled  them- 
selves of  whatever  Your  Majesty  gave  them  for  their  suste- 
nance and  raiment.  Their  incessant  occupation  is  that  of 
Martha  and  Mary,  attending,  like  Martha,  to  active  hfe, 
curing  the  sick,  feeding  the  poor  and  needy,  causing  fields  to 
be  sown  for  this  purpose,  raising  stock,  and  by  means  of 
this  stock,  breaking  lands  for  the  Indians  that  do  not  live  in' 
settlements,  and  after  having  built  houses  for  them  and  plowed 
and  sown  their  lands,  furnishing  them  with  all  the  necessaries 
for  the  first  month  of  the  year,  they  gather  them  to  live  there- 
in like  reasonable  beings.  Then  they  teach  them  to  recite 
the  Christian  doctrine,  and  teach  them  also  good  habits. 
Similarly  they  teach  reading  and  writing  to  the  boys  and  also 
to  sing;  there  is  then  a  motive  for  praising  the  Lord,  on  seeing 
so  many  chapels  with  organ  singing. 

Trade  and  Arts  Taught  to  Indians. 

"In  the  same  way  they  are  taught  all  necessary  trades 
such  as  tailoring,  shoemaking,  carpentery,  blacksmithing, 
music,  painting,  etc.,  in  all  of  which  they  are  already  quite 
skillful.  On  the  other  hand,  neither  do  they,  the  Fathers, 
like  Mary,  ever  fail  in  their  monachal  duties  which  is  the 
life  they  have  professed,  for,  with  so  many  occupations  in 
the  administration  of  the  Holy  Sacraments,  they  go,  without 
resting,  from  pueblo  to  pueblo,   as  there  is  nc  religious  wha 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


"09 


has  not  under  his  charge  at  least  four  or  five  pueblos.  They 
live  in  such  a  way,  that  they  look  like  a  community, and  mattins 
never  fail  to  be  held  at  midnight,  and  at  the  other  hours, 
while  high  mass  is  always  celebrated  on  time.  The  convents 
are  harmoniously  administered  so  that  they  look  more  like 
sanctuaries  than  the  houses  of  single  friars.  And  yet  with 
all  such  continuous  occupations,  fastings  are  never  wanting, 
no,  not  even  the  lents  of  the  blessed  are  omitted,  as  well  and 


many  other  spiritual  exercies  wherewith  they  edify  the 
Spaniards,  and  the  Indians,  both  of  whom  respect  them  as 
if  they  were  angels. 

"I  have  thus,  enpassant,  touched  upon  this  subject  omitting 
many  other  things  I  might  have  said,  only  to  the  end  that 
Your  Majesty  may  be  appraised  of  the  quality  and  virtue  of 
your  chaplain,  who,  with  such  gratitude,  love,  and  good 
will,  commend  Your  Majesty  to  God  in  that  secluded 
corner  of  the  earth,  and  in  that  primitive  church,  where 
Our  Lord  works  so  many  wonders,  and  where  Your  Ma- 
jesty's favor  and  help  is  so  much  needed   both  on  account 


710  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

of  the  duty  imposed  upon  Your  Majesty  by  the  Church 
in  the  Bull  of  Alexander  VI,  when  she,  the  Church,  gave 
you  in  the  name  of  God  these  kingdoms,  only  for  the 
care  you  should  take  of  upholding  therein  our  holy  Catholic 
faith  and  for  the  conversion  of  so  many  souls,  as  well  as  for 
the  many  mercies  with  which  God  Our  Lord  endowes  Your 
Majesty  therein  by  giving  you  as  many  riches  as  we  have 
discovered  in  the  Province  of  the  Piros,  as  I  have  already 
said,  and  in  this  Kingdon  of  Quivira  and  Aixaos.  The  only 
thing  wanting  to  obtain  the  full  development  of  that  monarchy 
is  the  settlement  of  the  ports  from  which  such  wealth  may 
be  drawn  out,  and  that  there  be  some  one  to  work  them  out; 
for  it  is  clear  that  the  lumps  of  silver  will  not  come  out  of 
the  mines  by  themselves,  but  that  some  expense  must  be 
incurred  in  order  to  bring  them  home.  It  is  enough  for  God 
Our  Lord,  to  show  the  rich  metals  to  our  eyes,  and  the  ports 
through  which  we  should  gain  their  possession. 

The  Coast  of  the  South. 

'•Having  treated  of  all  the  land  we  have  pacified  and  con- 
verted, it  is  but  just  for  Your  Majesty  to  know  something 
concerning  another  treasure  reserved  for  Your  Majesty, 
since  more  than  seventy  years  ago,  and  which  after  it  was 
discovered  was  left  untouched  until  our  Lord  msiy  vouchsafe 
to  hasten  the  arrival  of  its  hour  of  development.  It  is  about 
seventy  years  that  the  Vicero.y  of  New  Spain,  Don  Antonio 
de  Mendoza,  sent  out  Captain  Vasquez  Coronado  to  discover 
the  coast  of  the  south,  and  with  him  went  four  religious  of 
my  order.  And,  although  for  the  purpose  of  treating  about 
these  nations  we  might  commence  from  New  Mexico,  thence 
going  directly  to  the  south,  or  from  the  road  to  New  Mexico 
in  the  last  pueblo  of  New  Spain,  which  is  the  valley  of  Santa 
Barbara,  thence  starting  westward,  it  being  a  land  contigu- 
ous to  said  coast,  the  same  as  New  Mexico,  and  because  no 
religious  order  has  entered  it  except  that  of  my  Father, 
Saint  Francis,  which,  at  the  price  of  its  blood,  brought  there 
the  knowledge  of  our  holy  Catholic  faith — acting,  then, 
under  the  supposition  that,  in  order  to  perform  this  journey, 
the  same  should  not  be  commenced  from  New  Mexico,  but 
from  the  City  of  Mexico — it  seems  wiser  to  me  to  commence 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  711 

it  from  the  latter  city,  and  thence  arrive  at  the  provinces  of 
Chiametla,  CuHacan  and  Sinaloa,  which  are  at  a  distance  of 
tifty  or  sixty  leagues  from  Jalisco.  These  nations  will  be 
treated -in  the  following  order: 

Valley  of  Senora. 

"I  therefore  declare  that,  starting  out  from  this  Province 
of  Chiametla  and  traveling  80  leagues  northward,  always 
keeping  close  to  and  coasting  the  South  Sea,  one  reaches 
and  strikes  the  Valley  of  Senora,  which  is  70  leagues  long 
and  30  wide,  and  through  the  center  of  which  runs  a  large 
river.  It  is  very  fertile  land,  with  planted  fields,  and 
strewn  with  many  towns.  The  first  pueblo  is  called  'Los 
Corazones,'  on  account  of  the  deer  hearts  which  were  there 
given  to  our  men.*  This  pueblo  has  seven  hundred  houses, 
arranged  in  good  order,  the  temperature  of  the  land  being 
delightful. 

Agastan. 

"Six  leagues  ahead  of  this  pueblo,  in  the  same  direction,  is 
another  one  called  'Agastan'  larger  than  the  later;  and  round 
about  and  all  over  this  valley  there  are  many  pueblos; 
but  the  chief  one,  which  is  the  one  where  the  cacique  of  this 
kingdom  resides,  has  three  thousand  good  houses  of  fine 
appearance,  but  in  this  pueblo  and  in  the  others  they  have 
their  temples  of  idolatry  and  quite  pretentious  graveyards 
where  the  principal  persons  are  buried. 

Cibola. 

"Leaving,  then,  the  last  pueblo  of  this  valley  of  Senora,  and 
going  in  the  same  northward  direction,  along  the  same  coast 
of  the  south  sea,  for  forty  or  fifty  leagues,  we  come  to  the 
province  of  'Cibola,'  the  principal  city  bearing  the  same 
name.  The  province  has  within  its  district  seven  other  cities. 
The  first  one  has  about  one  thousand  houses,  and  the  others, 
many  more.  They  are  built  of  rock  and  wood,  three  to  four 
stories  and  are  quite  imposing. 

*Cabeza  de  Baca  is  the  one  who  gave  that  name  to  that  town  for 
the  reason  stated  by  Fr.  Benavides  (ante)— The  Author. 


712  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Tihues  (Tiguex). 

"After  three  other  journeys  have  been  made  in  the  same 
direction,  the  province  of  Tihues  is  reached,  which,  in  the 
beauty  and  strength  of  its  buildings,  outranks  largely  the 
last  one.  The  first  city  after  leaving  Cibola,  which  must  be 
the  main  town  of  this  kingdom,  is  called  Tihues  (Tiguex).  It 
has  more  than  four  thousand  houses  in  each  one  of  which 
from  ten  to  fifteen  inmates  live.  It  has  very  high  corridors 
and  terraces,  and  also  very  high  towers.  The  people  of  this 
city  have  ingress  and  egress  to  their  houses  through  the  roofs 
and  terraces  by  means  of  passageways.  It  was  situated  on 
a  plain  on  the  banks  of  a  large  river  *  surrounded  by  stone 
walls  without  lime,  but  with  gypsum,  and  for  this  reason  the 
Spaniards  were  bewildered  at  its  beauty. 

A  City — Puaray. 

"There  is  another  city  at  half  a  league  from  Tihues  (Tiguex), 
also  on  the  banks  of  the  same  river,  of  three  thousand  houses, 
where  the  king  has  his  wives.  It  is  very  handsome  and 
strongly  built  in  the  shape  of  a  square,  with  stone  houses.  It 
has  three  compartments  and  the  smallest  is  two  hundred 
paces  wide  and  as  many  long.  From  this  plaza  narrow  streets 
shootout  through  which  scarcely  two  men  on  horseback  can 
pass  abreast.  All  the  houses  have  their  corridors  leading  to 
the  plaza  as  in  all  New  Mexico,  and  their  hot-houses  in  them 
for  winter;  there  are  more  than  twenty  of  these  houses  very 
large— a  good  proof  of  the  many  people  that  live  there. f 
Along  the  same  bank  of  this  river,  two,  three  and  four  leagues 
from  it,  there  are  more  than  twenty  other  towns  like  this, 
more  or  less  strong,  and  through  the  extent  of  sixty  leagues 
traversed  by  this  river  as  far  as  the  sea,  all  the  land  is  settled. 
The  river  is  called  the  Rio  Bravo  and  must  have  in  width  the 
distance  covered  by  the  shot  of  an  arquebus. 

*  This  proves  conclusively  that  Tiguex  was  situated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  not  where  Santa  Ft^  now  stands  as  claimed  by 
some  writers.— Thp,  Author. 

t  This  is  the  Pueblo  of  Puaray,  Capital  of  the  I'rovince  of  Tig-uex, 
where  Coronado  establisiied  his   lieadquurters  (ante). — The  Author. 


ILLUSTRATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  713 

The  Wonderful  Rock.   (Acoma) 

"Starting  out  from  Tihues  (Tiguex)  westward,  to  the  extent 
of  two  journeys,  tliere  is  a  city  the  strangest  and  strongest, 
perhaps,  in  the  world,  which  contains  more  than  two  thou- 
sand houses,  in  which,  it  was  said  more  than  seven  thousand 
inmates  Hved.  There  is  a  huge  rock  as  high  as  the  tower  of 
Seville  which  seems  to  be  more  than  one  thousand  teet  in 
height.  The  summit  of  this  rock  is  plain  for  a  space  of  about 
a  league  without  a  tree  or  mound  of  any  class  or  sort.  On 
that  plain  the  city  is  built.  Up  there,  and  down  in  the  plains 
the  inhabitants  have  their  plantations  and  cornfields.  This 
rock  is  so  smooth  and  straight  on  the  outside  that  there  is  no 
place  in  it  whereby  to  climb  to  the  top,  except  a  single  road 
cut  in  the  rock  by  hand,  so  narrow,  that  only  one  person  can 
pass  in  it,  and  at  convenient  spaces  it  has  some  concavities, 
so  that  if  two  persons  meet  on  the  way  they  may  be  able 
thereby  to  pass.  On  the  summit  they  have  large  cisterns 
and  vaulted  reservoirs  where  they  gather  rain  vv'ater.  The 
rock  is  impregnable  and  wonderful  in  every  detail. 

Tusayan. 

"Following  in  a  westward  course  to  the  south  sea  coast, 
eighty  leagues  from  Tihues  (Tiguex),  we  come  to  the  province 
of  Tusayan,  which  has  as  many  as  thirty  pueblos  with  good 
houses,  though  not  as  good  as  the  ones  noted. 

Gicuye   (Cicuye    Pecos). 

'■'Turning  to  the  north  from  the  city  of  Tihues  (Tiguex),  at 
three  or  four  journeys,  is  a  plain  six  leagues  in  extent,  all 
full  of  plowed  fields,  among  pine  forests  which  yield  wonder- 
ful pine  (piiion)  nuts  and  it  has,  also,  other  large  and  beauti- 
ful trees.  A  large  and  beautiful  city  is  built  there  called  in 
the  language  of  that  land  Cicuye  (Pecos).  It  lies  on  level 
ground,  and  must  have  more  than  one  thousand  very  large 
houses,  all  six  and  seven  stories  high.  It  has  two  post  fences, 
ten  paces  apart  the  one  from  the  other,  about  two  stadia  in 
height,  very  strong  for  protection  in  times  of  war  but  not 
strong  enough  to  resist  artillery;  it  has  its  towers  with 
red  glittering  spires;  has  three  very  large  squares  and  in 


714  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

them  many  hot-houses  (estufas),  and  in  all  the  houses  the 
corridors  lead  into  the  squares.  The  streets  are  very  nar- 
row, only  two  horsemen  can  ride  abreast.  It  is  a  beautiful 
and  strong  city,  and  for  this  reason  it  left  our  men  filled  with 
astonishment. 

Quivira. 

"Fifteen  short  journeys  from  Tihues  (Tiguex)  towards  the 
east  carry  us  to  the  beginning  of  the  Kingdom  of  Quivira 
where  there  are  many  large  towns,  their  houses  being  made 
of  straw  as  in  New  Spain;  for  the  temperature  there  is  very 
mild,  and  this  nation  does  not  construct  its  buildings  any 
stronger  than  what  they  think  they  need  for  their  wandering 
life;  and  though  some  call  this  the  South  Sea,  it  is  not  that 
of  California,  which  extends  from  north  to  south  till  it  goes 
out  at  the  strait  of  Anian. 

"As  far  as  this  point  did  Vasquez  Coronado  and  his  men 
with  our  four  rehgious  reach,  and  they  returned  because  he 
did  not  care  to  venture  any  farther  with  the  few  men,  few 
ammunitions  and  the  scarcity  of  provisions  which  he  had. 
They  were  informed  that  on  either  side  of  the  large  river 
which  they  found  there  were  very  rich  towns.  And  having 
left  the  seed  of  the  word  and  knowledge  of  God  planted  in 
that  soil,  during  the  interval  allowed  him  by  so  short  a 
time,  they  turned  back  to  give  the  Viceroy  an  account  of 
what  they  had  seen;  and  things  shall  so  remain  until  God  may 
be  pleased  to  hasten  the  hour  in  which  Your  Majesty  may 
also  enjoy  the  lordship  of  that  kingdom.  May  God's  Majesty 
be  vouchsafed  so  to  dispose  of  all  things  that  all  those  souls 
may  know  and  adore  His  Most  Holy  Name,  and  that  they 
may  also  receive  the  Holy  Sacrament  of  Baptism.  And 
may  He  give  Your  Majesty,  spirit,  grace,  and  power  to 
subdue  to  the  church  and  to  your  Royal  Crown  the  many 
barbarous  nations  thererein  dwelling. 

Fray  Alonzo  Benavides." 


APPENDIX  SECOND. 


A  Narrative  of  the  Discovery  and  Conquest  of  New  Mexico,  as  Given 
by  the  Rev.  Father  Fr.  Francisco  Frejes,  Historian  of  the  Order  of 
Franciscans — The  Author  of  This  Work  Reproduces  Verbatim  the 
Narrative  of  Father  Frejes  Because  it  is  Brief,  But  Galls  the 
Attention  of  the  Reader  to  the  Errors  Therein  Appearing  Regard- 
ing dates.  For  Example,  he  Says  that  Ofiate  Game  in  1595,  and 
That  the  General  Uprising  Took  Place  in  1644,  or  36  years 
Before  Time  (it  Was  in  1680),  and  That  the  Indians  Killed  Gover- 
nor Otermin  in  Which  He  is  Also  in  Error.  He  Also  Omits  all 
Mention  of  Fray  Niza,  Goronado,  and  Fray  Juan  de  Padilla  and 
His  Companion  s(See  Noteof  Barreiro's  to  the  "Noticias  Historicas  ' 
de  Pino,  p.  p.  5-8.)  *  

"The  conquest  of  this  privileged  land  had  tlie  same 
beginning  as  that  of  the  Province  of  Coahuila;  all  was  the 
work  of  Providence.  About  the  year  1532,  the  corps  of 
troops  which  Nuno  de  Guzman  placed  under  the  command  of 
Pedro  Chirinos,  as  1  have  related  in  another  place,  met  with 
three  Spaniards,!  who,  on  the  invasion  of  Florida  by 
Pamfilo  de  Narvaez,  were  strayed  in  the  woods  and  came  to 
a  nation  which,  at  the  time,  was  suffering  from  an  epidemic 
that  was  desolating  it;  and  those  Spaniards,  with  efficacious 
means  cured  the  disease.  This  happy  occurrence  protected 
them  from  the  savages,  who  from  that  moment  did  not  allow 
them  to  leave  the  country,  all  of  them  having  an  interest  in 
being  cured  by  the  Spaniards  from  their  diseases.  The 
Spaniards  did  not  miss  the  opportunity  for  catechizing  the 
indigenes  in  the  principles  of  religion;  and  in  order  to  find  a 
way  to  escape  from  their  captivit}^  they  promoted  among 
the  friendly  Indians  an  expedition  to  the  western  part  of  the 
territory  where  they  supposed  they  might  encounter  their 

*  No  date  is  given  in  which  Father  Frejes  published  his  narrative 
but  from  his  language  it  is  deduced  that  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century.— The  Author. 

t  The  Spaniards  alluded  to  were  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  and  his  com- 
panions (ante).— The  Author. 


716  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

comrades.  In  the  extended  excursions  they  made,  they  stayed 
for  a  long  time  in  New  Mexico,  and  thence  they  entered 
Sonora  where  they  again  came  among  the  Spaniards. 

"The  fruitful  seed  of  religion  which  they  had  left  in  the 
hearts  of  those  of  the  Indians  was  preserved  until  the  year 
1581,  in  which  Px-ay  Agustin  Ruiz,  a  Franciscan  missionary, 
entered  New  Mexico.  This  religious  resided  in  a  mission  of 
the  territory  of  Chihuahua,  and  was  informed  by  some 
friendly  Concho  Indians,  that  not  far  from  there,  many 
nations  existed,  and  among  them,  some  who  already  had  a 
knowledge  of  the  Catholic  religion.  Father  Ruiz  immediately 
undertook  the  discovery  of  these  Indians,  and  in  a  few 
days  succeeded  in  his  purpose,  catechizing  and  baptizing 
many  of  them.  He  then  sought  the  help  of  some  comrades 
who  happily  extended  it  to  him  from  the  missions  of  Sonora. 

"When  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  heard  of  the  new  discoveries 
and  their  progress,  he  sent  out  Don  Antonio  de  Espejo,  with 
some  men  and  succors,  to  protect  the  missions.  On  account 
of  a  few  uprisings  which  happened  among  the  immediate 
tribes,  it  became  necessary  to  ask  for  more  troops  in  order  to 
establish  some  garrisons,  and  an  expedition  under  Don  Juan 
de  Oiiate,  a  relative  of  the  conquerors  of  Jalisco,  set  out 
from  Mexico  and  reached  its  destination  in  1595. 

"Fifty  years  after,  that  is,  in  1644,  a  general  uprising  of  the 
nations  of  the  territory  took  place  in  which  all  the  mission- 
aries and  even  the  Spanish  Governor  died  at  the  hands  of 
the  savages;  only  a  few  inhabitants  escaped,  who  took  refuge 
at  El  Paso  del  Norte.  Thence  new  requisitions  were  made 
upon  the  Viceroy  for  the  re-conquest  of  what  had  been  lost, 
and  many  of  the  descendants  of  the  country's  defenders 
joined  the  men  who  started  from  Zacatecas  and  other  points 
for  the  re-conquest  of  the  country  under  the  orders  of  Don 
Diego  de  Vargas  in  the  year  1694.* 

"After  many  a  battle  between  the  Spaniards  and  the 
rebellious  savages,  the  later  succumbed.  The  Pueblos  of  San 
Juan  de  los  Caba  leros  and  Pecos  had  remained  loyal  to  the 
Spaniards,  in  spite  of  their  lying  in  the  interior  of  the  coun- 

*  This  erroneous  historical  document  of  Fr.  Frejes,  which  the 
reader  is  now  perusing-,  is  the  source  from  which  some  of  the  writers 
on  New  Me.xico  history  obtained  their  information.— Thk  Author. 


ILLUSTRATKI)    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  717 

try,  and  etticiently  co-operated  in  the  general  pacification. 
Thenceforth,  though,  those  colonies  have  not  progressed  as 
they  might,  on  account  of  the  continuous  incursions  of  the 
savages,  and  they  have  for  that  reason  placed  themselves  un- 
der the  protection  of  the  government  like  the  other  provinces. 

"We  believe  that  the  news  of  the  discovery  of  New  Mexico 
is  truthful,  inasmuch  as  to  us  the  following  narrative 
appears  to  be  worthy  of  credit,  which  we  have  found  in  the 
Memorial  of  Sacred  and  Real  Notices  of  the  Empire  of  the 
West  Indies,  by  Juan  de  Dios  Calle,  officer  of  the  secretary- 
ship of  the  viceroyalty,  printed  in  this  capital,  in  1646.  It 
says: 

"The  discovery  of  the  kingdom  of  New  Mexico  was  made 
in  the  year  1581.  Pray  Agustin  Ruiz,  of  the  seraphic  order  of 
the  glorious  St.  Francis,  having  had  knowledge  through  the 
information  given  him  by  some  Concho  Indians  of  the  valley  of 
St.  Bartolom6,  jurisdiction  of  New  Vizcay,  who  had  commun- 
ication with  those  of  the  nation  'Passagnates,'  that  further 
ahead  of  these  provinces  there  were  other  nations  with  still 
more  population,  went  on  to  discover  them  with  some  of  his 
religious  comrades;  and,  having  done  this,  he  sent  an  account 
of  it  to  Mexico,  asking  succors  in  order  to  prosecute  his 
design.  There  was  at  this  time  in  Mexico  Antonio  de  Espejo, 
a  rich  and  brave  man,  zealous  for  the  service  of  God  and  of 
his  Catholic  majesty,  who  was  selected  for  this  journey.  He 
assembled  some  soldiers,  furnished  the  necessary  provisions, 
115  horses  and  mules,  arms,  ammunitions  and  some  men  for 
service,  with  the  leave  of  Captain  Juan  de  Ontiveros,  chief 
alcalde  of  the  pueblos  of  the  four  Cienegas  in  the  government 
district  of  New  Vizcay,  70  leagues  from  the  mines  of  Santa 
Barbara,  and  proceeded  from  the  same  valley  of  San  Barto- 
lome  on  his  journey  in  the  year  1582,  discovering  fifteen  pro- 
vinces, all  filled  with  a  large  number  of  Indians,  and  houses 
of  four  and  five  stories  to  which  provinces  they  gave  the 
name  of  New  Mexico,  because  in  many  things  it  resembled 
the  Old  Mexico.  Among  other  things,  the  natives  who  came 
to  him  during  the  time  he  was  there,  gave  him  as  a  present 
40,000  (?)  white  and  painted  cotton  blankets,  and  large  quan- 
tities of  handkerchiefs,  silver  metals  and  other  things;  and 
in  some  of  these  provinces  they  found  that  the  natives  had 


18 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


some  notion  of  the  mysteries  of  our  holy  faith,  and,  asking 
the  reason  of  it,  they  were  answered,  that  the  natives  had 
received  those  notions  from  three  Christians  and  one  negro, 
who  had  passed  through  there,  stopping  some  days  with 
them;  that,  according  to  the  signs  given  them,  the  Christians 


were  Alvar  NuQez  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  and  his  comrades,  Andres 
D  )rantes,  Bernardino  del  Castillo  Maldonado,  and  the  negro 
called  Estevanico  who  had  escaped  from  the  armada  with 
which  Governor  Pamtilode  Narvaez  entered  Florida,  and  that 
during  the  time  they  were  there,  the  Majesty  of  God,  Our 
Lord,  worked  by  them  many  miracles,  healing  an  innumer- 
able multitude  of  sick  persons  b}^  making  the  sign  of  the  holy 
cross  over  them,  and  saying  some  prayer.  And  after  Antonio 


ILLUSTHATEn    HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO.  719 

de  Espejo  had  gone  and  returned  in  tlie  early  part  of  July, 
lo!-*;},  and,  having  reached  the  valley  of  San  Bartolomo  whence 
he  had  set  out,  he  took  note  of  everything  and  sent  it  to  the 
viceroy,  the  Count  of  Corufla,  that  he  might  forward  the  same 
to  His  Majesty,  through  his  royai  and  supreme  council  of  the 
Indies,  from  which  followed  the  order  that  the  viceroy  should 
take  charge  of  the  continuance  of  this  discovery. 

"In  the  year  1595,  which  was  the  last  of  the  administration 
of  Viceroy  Don  Louis  de  Velasco  in  New  Spain,  the  journey 
to  this  kingdom  was  again  discussed,  and  Don  Juan  de 
Oilate  was  given  the  charge  of  it,  receiving  also  (from  the 
viceroy')  the  title  of  Governor  and  Captain  General  of  this 
province,  four  thousand  ducats  as  help  in  his  costs,  and  a 
loan  of  six  thousand  from  the  Royal  coffers.  On  September 
30th  the  stipulations  were  concluded,  and  before  this,  it 
appears  that  Captain  Francisco  de  Urdinola  had  attempted 
to  make  them,  although  they  were  not  concluded  with  him, 
and  as  Don  Louis  left  the  government,  the  viceroy,  the  count 
of  Monterey,  his  successor,  sent  out  Don  Juan  de  Onate 
on  it. 

"For  the  instruction  of  the  natives,  he  (Onate)  carried 
along  with  him  some  religious  of  the  order  of  Saint  Francis, 
of  whom  Fray  Rodrigo  Duran  went  as  commissary,  and, 
afterwards.  Fray  Alonzo  Martinez  went  with  some  others. 
He  (Onate)  arrived  in  New^  Mexico  and  settled  there,  took 
possession  of  it  in  the  name  of  the  King,  Our  Lord,  and  esta- 
blished his  quarters  in  the  pueblo  that  was  named  San 
Gabriel,  whose  site  is  at  80  degrees  north,  lying  between 
two  rivers,  where  the  religious  at  once  founded  a  convent, 
and  baptized  up  to  the  year  1600,  eight  thousand  souls.  The 
district  of  these  provinces  commences  200  leagues  ahead  of 
the  Valley  of  Santa  Barbara,  the  last  pueblo  of  New  Spain; 
it  is  400  leages  distant  from  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  800  from 
Havana  coming  by  way  of  Mexico.  From  the  court  of 
Madrid  there  is  more  than  2,600.  And,  due  to  the  satisfac- 
tory results  obtained  by  Don  Juan  de  OPate,  the  King  Philip 
II,  our  Lord  who  is  in  glory,  in  order  to  encourage  him  in 
his  purpose,  honored  him,  on  February  7,  1602,  with  the 
title  of  Adelantado  of  these  provinces,  (he  already  being 
governor  and  captain   general)  for  himself,  his  son  or  heir. 


720 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


And  in  the  years  1621  and  1631,  it  was  proposed  by  the  Order 
of  Saint  Francis  that  his  Majesty  authorize  the  building  of  a 
Cathedral  to  be  erected  in  these  provinces,  with  a  bishop; 
because  by  that  year,  more  than  500,000  Indians  were 
already    converted,    and,    more    than    80,000    baptized,    in 


^id 

U^s^rs^^i^^^:':.-,:^ 

*         -  ik 

flHHtaHHHM|^^^*~ 

i  -                          '"• 

)f  Charity  Kanitii 


whose  instruction  and  conversion  50  religious  of  this- 
Order  attended,  without  there  being  there,  from  the  first 
discovery  until  then,  any  other  order,  and  there  were 
150  Indian  pueblos,  and  in  each  a  church  in  which  a  mass 
was  celebrated,  and  the  Holy  Sacraments  were  administered ; 
and  a  good  villa  had  been  peopled  with  Spaniards;  there 
were  some  ranches  and  estates  belonging  to  them;  and  the 


ir.LUSTKATlOD   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  721 

land,  whose  natives  they  had  reduced  to  our  Holy  P'aith,  was 
of  more  than  400  leagues,  in  traveUng  which  many  days 
were  spent,  while  the  travel  was  made  through  innumerable 
enemies  with  great  dangers  and  inconveniences. 

"In  view  of  this.  His  Majesty  ordered  the  same  year,  1631, 
that  upon  the  subject  of  erecting  a  Cathedral  church,  the 
Archbishop  and  Viceroy  should  send  information,  and 
although  a  report  was  sent,  it  has  not  seemed  convenient 
to  execute  the  project  until  that  kingdom  is  more  advanced 
and  quiet,  for  in  the  year  1644,  the  natives  grew  so  restless 
that  they  killed  the  governor,  although  for  their  reduction 
and  pacitication,  thirty  religious  of  Saint  Francis,  men  of 
exemplary  life,  had  been  sent  from  the  Province  of  the  Holy 
Gospel  in  Mexico,  in  the  year  1627,  and,  from  that  date  on, 
it  has  been  the  custom  to  conduct  many  others  at  the  expense 
of  the  royal  treasury. 

"In  the  year  1645,  there  were  25  doctrinates  of  the  order 
of  Saint  Francis,  with  60  religious,  which  continued  the  in- 
struction and  teaching  of  these  Indians,  towhom  His  Majesty 
gave  as  alms  42,000  pesos  (y)  a  year,  that  they  might  be 
preserved. 

"Father  Fr.  Alonso  de  Beuavides,  who  was  custodian  of 
these  Provinces  and  conversions,  and  who,  by  order  of  the 
Viceroy  and  his  prelate,  came  to  this  court  in  the  year  1630, 
and  made  the  memorial  referred  to  concerning  every  thing, 
printed  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  Majestj^  Among  other  things 
he  says,  there  were  seen  in  it  many  notable  things. 

"There  are  in  these  provinces  many  rich  silver,  gold,  and 
turquoise  mines:  there  is  an  abundance  of  wheat,  corn,  beans, 
chic-peas,  lentels,  peas,  pumpkins,  melons,  and  all  classes  of 
vegetables,  grapes  and  other  fruits,  gardens,  pine  forests, 
with  great  abundance  of  pine  nuts,  (pifiones)  many  cattle, 
buffalo  and  sheep,  and  cows  said  to  be  from  Cibola,  whose 
wool  is  like  that  of  the  vigogue  (of  great  estimation;)  hairy 
stock,  mules,  horses,  deer,  hares,  rabbits,  bears,  wolves, 
eagles,  and  other  animals,  and  a  great  diversity  of  winged 
stock,  many  large  rivers  abounding  in  tish,  and  good  salt 
deposits. 

"Generally,  the  temperature  in  these  Provinces  is  very  cold 
in  winter,  so  that  the  largest  rivers  freeze  and  are  crossed 


722  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

over  the  ice,  and  so  their  inhabitants  employ  stoves  and 
many  fires;  and,  in  order  to  be  able  to  say  mass,  there  is  a 
fire-pan  at  the  altar,  and  in  summer  the  heat  is  very  great."'  * 

*  1  am  fully  convinced  that  both  Calle  and  Frejes  wrote  their 
stories  on  the  discovery  and  conquest  of  New  Mexico  from  mere 
traditions;  that  neither  of  them  ever  saw  the  reports  of  Cabeza  de 
Vaca,  Niza,  Coronado,  De  Bustamante,  Gallegos,  Barrardo,  Espejo, 
Onate,  Villagra,  De  Vargas  and  the  rest  of  the  eye  witnesses  like  Father 
Benavides.  The  reader  having  now  read  in  the  preceding  chapters  the 
very  words  of  these  discoverers,  conquerors  and  priests,  can  readily 
see  how  great  was  the  error  Calle  and  Frejes  fell  in,  and  can  now 
account  for  the  many  erroneous  histories  written  on  New  Mexico  bj' 
authors  who  drew  their  information  from  Calle  and  Frejes.  I  feel 
that  I  have  performed  a  valuable  public  service  in  having  thus  shown 
to  the  world  the  truth  about  the  history  of  New  Mexico  and  the  errors 
of  many  of  said  writers,  and  they  are  many  yes,  myriads  of  them. 
The  Author. 


I 


APPENDIX  THIRD. 

The  object  of  the  author  in  giving  here  a  hst  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan martyrs  who  were  assassinated  by  the  Indians  in 
New  Mexico,  in  the  tirst  epochs  of  its  discovery  and  con- 
quest, is  to  inform  the  reader  of  the  faitii  of  those  holy  men 
who  left  their  homes,  their  families  and  their  country  in 
order  to  enter  unknown  and  far  off  lands  inhabited  by  num- 
berless tribes  of  savage  Indians  without  the  hope  of  any 
better  reward  than  a  sure  martyrdom  which,  however,  se- 
cured, undoubtedly,  to  them  the  enjoyment  of  life  eternal. 

The  Franciscan  Fathers  and  Friars,  who  with  their  blood 
moistened  the  virgin  soil  of  the  then  unknown  Province  of 
New  Mexico,  were  the  following,  namely:  Juan  de  Padilla, 
Juan  de  la  Cruz,  Louis  Escalone,  Francisco  Lopez,  Agustin 
Rodriguez,  Juan  de  Santa  Maria,  Francisco  Letrado,  Martin 
de  Arvide,  Francisco  Porras,  Pedro  de  Miranda,  Pedro  de 
AviiayAyala,  Alonso  Hill  de  Avila,  Jose  de  Espeleta,  Juan 
de  Jesus  Maria,  Jose  Trujillo,  Manuel  Beltran,  Francisco 
Casailas  de  Jesus  Maria,  Francisco  Corvera,  Antonio  Mo- 
reno, Jos^  de  Arvizii,  Antonio  Carbonelli  and  Domingo 
Saraoz. 

Besides  those  22  just  mentioned,  there  were,  in  1680,18 
others,  who  died  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  when  the  latter 
rose  in  revolt  against  Governor  Otermin  in  1680.  ,  Certain  it 
is  that  the  last  18  are  not  considered  as  martyrs,  either  by 
the  church  or  by  the  Franciscan  order,  according  to  the 
account  given  of  the  death  of  said  first  martyrs,  and 
of  the  last  18,  by  Rev.  Father  James  H.  Defouri  in  his 
work  entitled  "Martyrs  of  New  Mexico,"'  which  is  the 
authority  on  which  the  author  rests  this  appendix.  We 
have  already  given  an  account  of  the  18  Indians  who  died  in 
1680,  in  another  part  of  this  work,  as  well  as  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  others  mentioned,  but  in  this  appendix  an 
additional  word  is  dedicated  to  each  one  of  them  with  the 
object  mentioned,  and  to  set  their  history  in  clearer  light. 

Fr.  Juan  do  Padilla— From  Andalusia,   before  coming  to 


724  ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO, 

New  Mexico,  was  guardian  of  the  college  of  Tzapotlan,  a 
post  he  held  until  1540,  when  he,  accompanied  by  Father 
Marcos  Niza,  undertook  the  voyage  with  Coronado.  The 
Indians  assassinated  him  at  Gran  Quivira  (ante)  on  Novem- 
30,  1542. 

Fr.  Juan  de  la  Cruz— A  native  of  France,  but  of  unknown 
family,  also  accompanied  Coronado  together  with  Fr.  Juan 
de  Padilla,  Fr.  Francisco-Lopez  and  other  priests  as  choir 
director,  according  to  Torquemada,  and  was  assassinated  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Tiguex  in  1542.  Defouri  says  that  Juan 
de  la  Cruz  remained  in  New  Mexico  when  CoTonado  re- 
turned. That  is  an  error,  as  neither  Coronado,  nor  Cas- 
tafieda,  nor  Jaramillo  say  anything  about  it;  Castaneda  and 
Jaramillo,  as  we  have  already  seen,  say  that  Fathers  Juan  de 
Padilla  and  Lopez  were  the  only  Spaniards  that  remained  in 
New  Mexico,  accompanied  by  the  Portuguese,  Andres  del 
Campo. 

Pr.  Luis  de  Escalone — Who  also  accompanied  Coronado  in 
1540,  according  to  Defouri,  a  thing  not  found  in  any  other 
authority  except  Defouri,  was  murdered  near  Tiguex  in 
1541. 

Fr.  Francisco  Lopez — Not  the  same  one  murdered  by  the 
Pecos  Indians,  was  assassinated  in  December,  1581. 

Fr.  Agustin  Rodriguez  (Fray  Ruiz)— Born  at  Ayamonte, 
province  of  Andalusia,  assassinated  in  December,  1581  (ante) 
a  few  days  after  the  murder  of  Father  Francisco  Lopez. 

Fr,  Juan  de  Santa  Maria — Catalanian  by  birth,  was  mur- 
dered near  the  Sandia  mountains  (county  of  Bernalillo)  in  the 
fall  of  1581. 

Fr,  Francisco  Letrado — Native  of  Castile,  was  murdered 
by  the  Indians  of  Zuni  on  February  22nd,  1630. 

Fr.  Martin  de  Arvide — Native  of  the  Port  of  San  Sebastian, 
in  Cantabria,  was  murdered  on  February  28,  1630,  a  few 
days  after  the  murder  of  Father  Letrado,  who,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  murdered  on  the  22nd  of  the  same  month.  The 
Ziia  Indians  killed  Father  Arvide. 

Fr.  Francisco  Porras— Of  Villanueva  de  los  Infantes,  of 
whom  history  relates  that  while  he  catechized  the  Indians  of 
Moqui,  the  Moqui  chief  brought  him  one  of  his  children,  a 
boy  12  years  old,  who  was  blind  from    birth,  saying  to   the 


ILLUSTRATED    iriSTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  725 

Father:  "If  your  God  is  as  powerful  as  you  say,  ask  liiin  to 
give  my  son  liis  eyesight,"  and  that  the  Father  then  kneel- 
ing, prayed  for  a  while,  then  ])laced  on  his  hand  the  saliva  of 
his  own  mounth,  and,  mixing  it  with  a  little  earth,  placed  it 
over  the  eyes  of  the  child  saying:  "Epheta,"'  wherewith 
the  child  instantly  recovered  his  eyesight,  one  thousand 
Indians  being  converted  then.  Father  Porras  went  to 
Gualpi  from  Moqui,  where  he  was  assassinated  by  means 
of  poison  administered  him  by  the  Indians  on  June  28th, 
1683.  When  he  realized  the  proximity  of  his  death,  as 
related  by  Father  Agustin  de  Ventacut  in  his  Franciscan 
menology,  he  knelt  down  before  Father  Francisco  de  San 
Buenaventura,  who  was  the  Priest  at  Gualpi  and  pronounced 
the  following  words,  "In  te  Domine,  speravi,'' and  when  he 
got  to  the  words:  "In  manus  tuas,  Domine,  commendo  spiri- 
tum  meum,"'  he  fell  dead  on  the  ground. 

Fr.  Pedro  de  Miranda — From  Mexico,  at  least  from  there 
he  came  to  New  Mexico,  the  date  and  place  of  his  birth  being 
alike  unknown.  He  was  assassinated  at  the  pueblo  of  Taos 
on  December  28th,  1631. 

Fr.  Pedro  de  Avila  y  Ayala — Whose  date  and  place  of  birth  is 
also  unknown,  the  only  thing  known  about  him  being  that  he 
came  to  New  Mexico  from  the  Peninsula  of  Yucatan,  and  was 
assassinated  by  the  Acoma  Indians,  October  7,  1672. 

Fr.  Alonso  Hill  de  Avila — Nothing  is  known,  about  the 
birth  of  this  priest.  On  January  23,  1675,  the  Apaches 
made  a  sudden  attack  on  the  Pueblo  of  Senecii,  (near  Socorro), 
killing  nearly  all  the  Indians  of  the  pueblo,  and  among  them. 
Father  Alonzo.  The  priests  that  died  during  the  insurrection 
of  1680  were  21,  as  we  have  already  said,  namely,  Juan  Ber- 
nal,  Juan  Domingo  de  Vera,  Fernando  de  Velasco,  Juan 
Bautista  Pro,  Tomds  de  Torre,  Luis  de  Morales,  Matias 
Rendon,  Antonio  de  Mora,  Juan  de  la  Pedroza,  Manuel  Tinoco, 
Francisco  Antonio  Lorenzana,  Juan  Talaban,  Jos(^  Montes  de 
Oca,  Fr.  Antonio  Sdnchez  de  Pro,  Fr.  Luis  Maldonado,  Juan 
Fr.  Juan  del  Bal,  Jos6  de  Figueroa,  Agustin  de  Santa  Maria, 
Jos6  de  Espeleta,  Jos6  Trujillo  and  Juan  de  Jesus  Maria. 

Fr.  Manuel  Beltran— Of  whose  birth  nothing  is  known. 
Assassinated  in  the  church  of  the  Tanos  Indians  in  168-1,  by 
said  Indians. 


726  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

Fr.  Francisco  Casanas  de  Jesus  Maria— From  Barcelona, 
was  assassinated  by  the  Jemes  Indians  in  1684. 

Fr.  Francisco  Corvera  and  Antonio  Morena— Were  at  the 
time  of  their  death  cures  of  San  Ildefonso  and  Namb6,  res- 
pectively. On  June  4th,  Father  Corvera  was  visiting  Father 
Morena  at  the  pueblo  of  Nambe,  and  while  they  were  sleep- 
ing, the  Indians  of  Nambe  murdered  them. 

Fr.  Jose  de  Arvizu  and  Antonio  Carbonelli — The  first  one, 
from  Spain,  and  the  second  from  Italy,  they  were  murdered 
by  the  Indians  of  the  pueblo  of  San  Crist6val  on  June  4th, 
1696.  Carbonelli  was  visiting  that  day  Father  Arvizu  who 
was  parish  priest  of  San  Cristoval,  while  Carbonelli  was 
parish  priest  of  Taos. 

Fr.  Domingo  de  Sara6z — Nothing  is  known  of  the  antece- 
dents of  this  priest.  He  was  assassinated  by  the  Indians  of 
the  Pueblo  of  Santa  Ana,  by  means  of  the  poisonous  herbs 
given  him  in  his  meal,  in  the  year  1631 ;  the  date  of  his  poison- 
ing, that  is,  the  month  and  day,  is  not  known. 


APPENDIX  FOURTH-SKETCHES. 


Jacobo  J.  Aragon. 

Jaeobo  J.  Arag-on,  is  a  native  of  San  Mif,'-uel  county  wiiere  he  was 
born  47  years  ago.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
Territory  and  attended  for  many  years  the  Nelson  Brothers  College 
at  Sj)ringtield.  Ohio.  Later  he  went  to  Kansas  City  and  there  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business. 


.■^''^"°'^^^»^ 


Jacobo  J.  Anifroii. 

His  health  failing  Mr.  Aragon  returned  to  New  Mexico  and  settled 
in  the  county  of  Sierra,  where  he  served  one  term  as  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools. 

In  1900,  Mr.  Aragon  moved  to  El  Paso,  Texas,  where  he  re-entered 
in  the  dry  goods  business  on  a  large  scale  under  the  lirm  name  of 
Aragon  Brothers  »S:  Co.  Later  Mr.  Aragon  moved  to  Lincoln,  Lin- 
coln county,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  mercantile  and  sheep 
business,  the  firm  name  being  Aragon  Brothers. 

Mr.  Aragon  received  the  nomination  for  delegate  to  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  held  in  Santa  Fe  from  October  .3  to  Noveral)er  22, 
1!)10,  by  acclamation  and  was  endorsed  by  the  Republicans  and  Dem- 
ocrats of  Lincoln  county. 


728 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


E.  G.  Abbott- 
Edmund  Clarence  Abbott,  born  Augusts,  1871,  at  Glenwood,  Iowa. 
Parents  moved  to  Newton,  Kansas,  in  1875.  Settled  at  Garden  City, 
Kansas,  in  1893.  Educated  in  public  schools  of  Garden  City,  and 
graduated  from  the  Kansas  State  Agricultural  College  at  Manhattan, 
Kansas,  in  the  class  of  1893.  Studied  law  in  the  office  of  his  father  who 
was  judge  of  the  27th  judicial  district  of  Kansas.  Admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1894,  and  moved  to  Colorado  where  he  practiced  until  1897,  moved 


E.  C.  Al.bott. 


to  Taos  and  began  to  practice  law.  Elected  to  the  legislature  in  the 
Noveml)er  election  of  lOOO.  Appointed  district  attorney  of  the  tirst 
judicial  district  in  March,  19(11.  Reappointed  three  times  consecutively. 
Resigned  in  190(),  and  again  elected  to  the  legislature  for  the  Counties 
of  Santa  Fe  and  Sandoval  in  1907.  Appointed  assistant  United  States 
attorney  by  Attorney  General  Bonaparte.  Resigned  the  appointment 
of  district  attorney  for  the  Counties  of  Santa  Fe,  Taos  and  Torrance. 
Re-appointed  for  another  term,  which  position  he  was  filling  at  the  time 
of  the  transition  from  territorial  to  state  government.  Resides  in 
Santa  Ft'  since  January.  1901. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


r2i) 


Roman   A.   Baca. 

Hon.  Roman  A.  Baea  was  a  native  of  New  Mexico  and  descendant 
of  an  illustrious  and  prominent  family;  during-  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  he  devoted  his  energ-ies.    prestii'v  and  wealth   to  the  betterment  of 


Jioiiiiin  A.  Hiic-a. 


education,  agriculture  and  stock  raising- in  New  Mexico.  Don  Roman 
was  the  most  noted  Indian  fig-hter  of  his  time  and  as  such  was  the  ter- 
ror of  the  Navajoes,  Utes  and  C'omanches.  He  made  his  mark  as  a 
legislator,  having  served  as  Speaker  in  1875  and  as  member  in  several 
terms  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  as  well  as  a  patriot,  having- 
served  during-  the  civil  war  as  captain  in  the  army  of  the  Union. 


730 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Roman  L.  Baca. 

r  Hon.  Roman  Liberato  Baca,  the  son  of  Don  Roman  A.  Baca,  like 
his  distinguished  father,  has  rendered  his  State  many  valuable  ser- 
vices, having  filled,  with  credit  to  himself,  the  following-  public 
positions:     Member  of  the  city  council  of  the   City  of  Santa  Fe,^[for 


several  terms:  chief  clerk  of  the  Territorial  House  of  Representatives 
in  1S9!>  and  in  1901;  member  of  said  House  of  Representatives  again  in 
19();j;  Speaker  of  the  House  in  1907,  and  was  again  elected  member  of 
the  first  legislature  of  the  State  of  New  Mexico  at  the  first  State  elec- 
tion held  Nov.  7,  1911,  and  made  Speaker  of  the  first  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  State.  Mr.  Roman  L.  Baca  is  a  native  of  New  Mex- 
ico and  was  educated  in  St.  Michael's  College. 


ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


•31 


Juan  Maria  Baca. 

Don  Juan  Maria  Jiai-a.  was  horn  on  the  2.{rd  of  Sei)lcmber,  1818. 
His  parents  were  Luis  Baea,  and  Dona  Uufina  Maestas.  Don  Juan 
Maria,  did  not  receiv'e  the  benefit  of  any  education,  and  what  little 
he  knew  of  reading,  writing- and  counting'  he  learned  partly  in  some  of 
the  modest  and  unpretentious  private  shools  of  those  times, and  mostly 
by  his  own  efforts.  He  was  a  man  of  very  clear  practical  intellect. 
He  was  married  in  1844  to  Miss  Dolores  Sandoval,  daughter  of  Don 


Francisco  Sandoval  and  Dona  Guadalupe  Gallegos  of  San  Isidro, 
county  of  Sandoval,  at  present.  Shortly  after  the  maiTiag-e,  they, 
changed  residence  from  .Jemez  to  Upper  Las  Vegas,  in  San  Miguel 
County.  Mr.  Baca  died  August  31,  1872,  and  Mrs.  Baca,  died 
January  4th,  18"i».  Their  union  was  blessed  with  eleven  children, 
Florencio,  Bartolo,  Benito,  Vicenta,  Abundio  No  1,  Eluterio,  Fran- 
cisco. Domingo  and  Antonio  (twins),  Juanita  and  Abundio  No.  2. 
Of  these  the  two  Abundios,  Bartolo  and  Vicenta  died  infants  before 
the  death  of  the  parents,  and  since  their  death,  Benito,  Florencio  and 
Antonio  have  followed  them  to  the  grave,  four  therefore,  being  still 
alive,  namely  Hluterio,  Francisco,  Domingo  and  Juanita. 


732 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXI30. 


Benito  Baca. 

Benito  Baca,  was  born  at  Canon  de  Jemes,  in  March  1848,  but  was 
broug-ht  up  to  manhood  at  Upper  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico,  in  the 
County  of  San  Miguel.  He  learned  his  A.  B.C.,  some  reading  and 
writing  in  Spanish  in  the  schools  of  those  times  which  he  attended 
until  St.  Michael's  College  was   opened   which   he   attended   for   two 


Benito  Hacji. 


years,  having  previously  received  his  first   P^nglish  instructions    from 
Mr.  Milnor  F.  Rudulph  of  Rincon  del  Tecolote,  now  Kociada. 

In  1867  he  went  to  St.  Louis  University  where  he  stayed  until  the 
spring  of  18(38,  leaving  the  University  then  to  come  and  accept  a  posi- 
tion at  Hays  City  with  the  new  firm  of  Otero  and  Sellar.  He  worked 
for  this  firm  for  three  years.  He  died  June  21,  1879.  at  La  Constancia, 
the  home  of  his  father-in-law,  Don  Manuel  A.  Otero,  immediately 
following  tlie  close  of  a  political  campaign  be  had  waged  against  the 
Republican  party,  he  being  a  candidate  as  Delegate  to  Congress. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


■33 


Eleulerio  Baca. 

Eleuterio  Baca,  was  born  at  upi)er  Las  Veg"as,  county  of  San  Miguel, 
February  2(tLh,  185.5.  I[o  learned  to  read  and  write  witli  the  native 
teachers  of  those  times,  tirst  among  whom  were  Don  .Tesus  M.  Hernal, 
Simon  Sandoval  and  Jose  Manuel  Leyva.  In  the  fall  of  lS(i2,  he 
entered    St.   Michael's  College   in    Santa  Fe,  and  stayed  there  till  the 


spring  of  18G3.  He  returned  in  18()4  remaining  until  ISCiti,  when  he  was 
sent  to  the  college  the  Saint  Michael's  Brothers  had  at  Mora.  In 
November  18(57,  he  was  sent  to  the  St.  Louis  University,  Missouri,  and 
there  he  graduated  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class,  in  the  classical 
courses  of  said  institution  on  June  27,  1872.  Mr.  Baca  has  served  as 
preceptor,  and  as  such  he  has  served  the  youth  of  New  Me.xico  for 
over  26  vears. 


JU 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Tomas  D.  Gabeza  de  Baca. 

Don  Tomas  Dolores  Cabeza  de  Baca  is  a  descendant  from  the  family, 
Cabeza  de  Baca,  which  has  figured  so  much  in  the  pages  of  the  history 
of  New  Mexico,  and  his  wife,  Dona  Estefana  Delgado,  is  a  descendant 


of  the  illustrious  soldier,  Manuel  Delgado,  head  and  trunk  of  the 
numerous  Delgado  family  in  New  Mexico.  The  sons  of  Don  Tomas. 
Manuel,  Daniel,  Nicasio,  Ezequiel,  Graciano  and  Antonino,  have  all 
figured  prominently  in  public  life,  and  are  very  useful  citizens.  Don 
'I'omas  died  in  the  winter  of  l!K)4-r)  at  Las  Veyas. 


ILLUSTHATh:i)    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO. 


'35 


Hon.  EzequielCabeza  de  Baca. 


Mr.  K/.equiel  Tabeza  de  Bacii  is  a  member  of  the  most  distinjifuislied 
families  in  New  Mexico,  his  father,  Don  Tomas  Dolores  Cabeza  de 
Baca,  now  dead,  having-  been  one  of  the  leading  men  of  his  time,  both 
politically  and  as  a  private  citizen. 

The  subject  of  this  brief  sketch  has  resided  at  Las  Vegas,  New  Mex- 


Hon.  E/.cquiel  ("abc/.a  de  Bncii 


ico,  all  his  life,  and  has  been  engaged  for  many  years  as  one  of  the 
editorsof  the  leading  democratic  Spanish  journal  of  New  Mexico,  "La 
Voz  del  Pueblo,""  published  in  Las  Veg-as. 

Mr.  Baca  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  lieutenant  g-overnor 
of  the  State  of  New  Mexico,  elected  as  the  first  state  election  held  on 
the  7th  day  of  November,  1!>11,  and  of  defeating  in  that  election  one  of 
the  most  popular  Republican  leaders  of  the  state,  tlie  Hon.  Malaquias 
Martinez. 


*36  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Kirby  Benedict. 

Chief  Justice  of  New  Mexico  from  1858  to  1866.  Died  in  Santa  Fe  in 
1875.  Judg-e  of  the  District  Court.  First  Judicial  District,  1853-8. 
Through  the  efforts  of  Judge  Benedict  a  law  was  passed  by  the  legis- 
lature in  1859,  to  finish  a    revision  of  the  laws    of  New  Mexico,  whicli 


Kirby  Benedict. 

under  the  title  of  "Revised  Code  of  New  Mexico,"  had  been  com- 
menced in  the  year  of  1856.  Under  this  act  of  1859  a  commission,  com- 
posed of  Judge  Benedict,  Facundo  Pino  and  Attorney  C.  P.  Clever, 
was  appointed  by  the  governor  in  1862.  This  commission  failed  to 
accomplish  the  work  because  one  of  its  members,  Pino,  died  before  the 
completion  of  the  worli.  After  that  Judge  Benedict's  name  does  not 
appear  in  public  life. 


(LLUSTIIATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  nit 

Gasimiro  Barela. 


Caslinlic)  Hart  la. 

Don  Casimiro  was  born  in  Rio  Arriba  county  March  4th,  1847. 
His  parents  were  Don  Jose  M.  Barela,  and  Doiia  Maria  de  J. 
Ahevtia,  domiciled  in  Mora,  a  place  tiiey  left  a  little  before  Casimiro 
was  born.  At  the  end  of  the  war  with  Mexico  his  parents  returned  to 
Mora.  His  first  education  he  received  in  private  schools.  Later  on. 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  Kev.  Father  Juan  B.  Salpointe,  parish 
priest   of   Mora,  and   suV>sequeDtly  Archbishop  of  New  Me.xico,  under 


738  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

whose  charg-e  he  received  considerable  instruction.  In  J863,  he  con- 
ducted a  store  of  his  father  at  El  Coyote,  and  that  same  year  com- 
menced to  haul  freig-ht.  He  moved  over  with  his  parents  to  Trinidad. 
Colorado,  in  January,  1867.  In  May  of  the  same  year  he  settled  at 
El  Rito  de  San  Francisco  now  called  Barela,  Colorado. 

In  1869  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  precinct  of  El  Rito 
del  Valle  de  San  Francisco.  In  1870,  elected  assessor  of  the  county 
of  Las  Animas,  and  in  1871,  member  to  the  territorial  leg-islature  of 
Colorado,  and  during-  the  session  of  the  legislature  in  1872,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  having  the  laws  of  the  Territory  published  in  Spanish. 
Was  again  elected  to  the  legislature  in  1873,  and  sheriff  of  the  county 
of  Las  Animas  in  1874.  In  1875.  was  elected  delegate  to  the  constitu- 
tional convention  which  met  in  Denver,  in  December  of  the  same  year. 

As  a  member  of  the  convention  Barela  succeeded  in  having  inserted 
in  the  state  consitution  the  provision  that  the  laws  of  the  state  should 
be  published  in  the  Spanish  language  for  a  term  of  25  years  and 
another  clause  to  the  effect  that  no  educational  qualification  could 
pass  the  general  assembly  against  the  voters  of  the  state  for  a  term  of 
25  years. 

In  November  1876,  at  the  first  state  election  he  was  chosen  state  sen- 
ator, has  since  been  re-elected  successively,  and  his  present  term 
expires  on  December  31,  1912. 

Senator  Barela,  while  still  a  senator  in  1882,  was  elected,  by  the 
unanimity  of  both  parties,  county  judge,  for  a  term  of  three  years. 
He  served  one  year,  and  then  resigned  in  order  to  attend  as  senator 
to  the  general  assembly  of  the  state.  In  1884,  without  any  interrup- 
tion to  his  services  as  senator,  he  was  elected  by  both  parties  as 
county  treasurer  of  Las  Animas  county.  He  has  been,  for  two  terms 
president  of  the  senate. 

The  commission  charged  with  the  duty  of  the  construction  of  the 
state  capitol  building,  on  selecting  15  persons  out  of  700  candidates  to 
place  their  pictures  in  the  cupula  of  the  state  capitol,  selected  Mr. 
Barela  as  one  of  the  15,  being  the  only  one,  among  the  chosen  few, 
who  is  living  today.  On  the  60th  anniversary  of  his  birth,  March  4th. 
1907,  the  senate  celebrated  that  event,  and  without  any  partisan  views, 
addresses  were  made  by  several  senators  congratulating  him.  A  testi- 
monial was  presented  to  him  certifying  to  his  intergity  as  a  legislator 
and  a  man.  signed  by  the  lieutenant  governor  and  all  the  senators. 
In  addition  he  was  presented  by  his  colleagues  with  a  silver  set  engraved 
with  his  initials.  Senator  Barela  has  also  held  in  Colorado  the  post 
of  consul  to  the  Mexican  Republic  for  12  years,  and  also  counsel  of 
Costa  Rica  for  years  and  is  to  this  day  consul  of  that  republic. 


ILLUSTHATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


'39 


Holm  O.  Bursum. 

Mr.  Bursum  is  actually  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Republicun  party. 
His  accession  to  the  public  i)Osts  of  (^i-reater  presti<je  and  of  the  highest 
importance,  was  as  rai»id  as  it  was  surprising  to  those  who  did  not 
know  him  thoroughly;  hut  to  those  who  had  the  opportunity  of  weighing 


him  in  political  and  social  questions  he  was  nothing  more  than  the  log- 
ical consequence  of  the  labors  of  an  enterprising  and  far  seeing  genius. 
His  clear  talent  and  his  unerring  judgment  placed  him  far  above  his 
enemies,  and  insured  for  him  the  respect,  esteem  and  confidence  of  the 
great  majority  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico.  Mr.  Bursum  was  the 
candidate  for  governor  of  New  Mexico  at  the  first  state  election  held 
November  7.  1911,  but  was  defeated  by  W.  C.  McDonald,  Democrat,  his 
opponent. 


"40  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


Dn.  Albino  Chacon. 


Don.  Alhii 


Don  Albino  Chacon,  who  rendered  New  Mexico  valuable  public  ser- 
vices under  the  governments  of  Mexico  and  the  United  States,  was  one 
of  Armijo's  captains  at  the  time  General  Kearny  entered  New  Mexico 
and  wliose  valuable  services  to  the  public  are  referred  to  in  another 
part  of  this  work. 


n.LUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


"41 


Rafael  Chacon. 

Captain  Rafael  Chacon,  a  resident  now  of  Trinidad,  Colorado, 
is  also  a  son  of  New  Mexico,  being-  a  son  of  Don  All)ino 
Chacon  and  of  Dona  Refugio  Lopez.  Mr.  Chacon  received  his 
primary  education  in  pi-ivate  schools  of  New  Mexico,  and  made  his 
last  studies  as  military   cadet    in  the  Military  Colleg-e  of  Mexico.     In 


184G,  when  Kearny  entered  New  Mexico,  Don  Rafael  was  as  yet  a 
young  soldier  of  13  years,  and  accompanied  Armijo  as  far  as  Canoncito 
where  it  was  hoped  Armijo  would  "-ive  battle  to  the  invading- army. 
As  we  have  already  given  an  account  of  that  event  in  the  narrative  we 
have  given  of  the  same,  we  shall  now  continue  to  relate  tl»e  services 
which  this  patriot  rendered  the  American  government.  What  follows 
was  taken  from  the  official  records. 

-•This    certifies    that   Rafael    Chacon  enlisted   from     Taos    countv. 


742  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

New  Mexico,  on  the  13th  day  of  August,  1861.  to  serve  three  years  or 
during-  the  Civil  War,  and  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service 
at  Fort  Union,  New  Mexico,  as  captain  of  company  K,  1st  Regiment 
New  Mexico  "Volunteer  Infantry,  later  changed  to  cavalry,  Colonel 
Ceran  St.  Vrain  commanding,  who  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by 
Colonel  Christopher  Carson. 

This  regiment  was  organized  at  Santa  Fe  and  Fort  Union,  New 
Mexico  from  July  1,  to  August  13.  1861,  to  serve  for  three  years. 
Operating  against  Sibley's  invasion  of  New  Mexico  January  to  May, 
1862.  Battle  of  Valverde,  February  21,  18H2.  Duty  at  Ft.  Union  and 
Albuquerque,  New  Mexico,  till  April,  1862.  Pursuit  of  Confederate 
forces,  April  13-22,  with  engagements  at  Albuquerque,  Algodones, 
Peralta,  and  Los  Pinos  Grove,  aijd  at  the  latter  place  fired  the  last  shot 
at  rear  guard  of  the  enemy.  Conducted  four  hundred  prisoners  to 
Foi't  Union,  marching  from  Peralta  through  Albuquerque,  Glorieta. 
Pecos,  and  Las  Vegas,  latter  part  of  April,  1862.  Officers  and  enlisted 
men  not  selected  for  retention  in  service  were  mustered  out  May  31,  1862, 
and  the  remaining  portion  consolidated  with  like  members  of  the  2nd, 
3rd,  4th  and  5th  regiments.  New  Mexico  Infantry,  to  form  a  new  regi- 
ment designated  as  the  1st  New  Mexico  volunteer  cavalry.  Trans- 
ferred to  1st  New  Mexico  volunteer  cavalry  as  captain  of  company  E, 
May  31,  1862.  Promoted  Major,  March  2nd,  1861.  With  1st  cavalry 
operating  against  Navajo  and  Apache  Indians  in  the  department  of 
New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  and  garrison  duty  by  detachments  at  Forts 
Stanton,  McRae,  Wingate,  Craig,  Canby,  Union,  and  other  points  in 
that  district,  participating  in  numerous  expeditions  and  skirmishes 
with  Indians,  till  August,  1864.  Temporarily  in  command  of  Fort 
Wingate  in  1862  and  1863.  With  expedition  to  Arizona,  accompanying 
government  Civil  Officers  to  establish  the  New  Territory,  Ft.  Whipple, 
and  the  city  of  Prescott,  from  December,  1863,  to  March,  1864.  Com- 
manding officer  at  Ft.  Stanton  in  1864.  Mustered  out  September  2. 
1864,  by  reason  of  expiration  cf  term  of  service,  and  honorably  dis- 
charged from  service. 

"The  said  Rafael  Chacon  was  made  captain  of  company  E,  May  31, 
1M62,  when  the  regiment  was  organized  into  cavalry. 

"March  2,  1864,  he  was  promoted  to  Major  of  the  regiment. 

"In  1862,  he  commanded  the  escort  consisting  of  his  own  company, 
conveying  about  450  Confederate  prisoners  to  Fort  Union,  New  Mexico. 
With  his  company  he  brought  about  5,000  Navajo  Indians  from  Fort 
Wingate,  N.  M.,  to  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  to  be  transferred  to  Fort  Sumner 
reservation  in  New  Mexico.  He  was  in  command  of  the  escort  of  the 
first  civil  officers  from  Fort  Wingate  to  organize  the  Territory  of 
Arizona  and  to  establish  Fort  Whipple,  in  Arizona. 

"He  took  part  in  engagements  at  Valverde  (Fort  Craig),  Albuquer- 
que, Algodones,  Peralta,  Los  Pinos,  Fort  Stanton,  New  Mexico,  and 
Navajo,  Arizona,  and  numerous  engagements  with  the  Indians  in 
New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  and  achieved  a  gallant  record  for  efficiency 
as  an  officer  and  meritorious  service. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTOKY    OP*  NKW    MP^XICO.  743 

"In  IS.V).  lie  enlisted  from  Taos  C'ountv,  New  Mexico,  to  serve  six 
months,  as  1st  Ser^'eant  of  company  13.  St.  Vrain's  Batallion  of  Vol- 
unteers, connnanded  by  Captain  Francisco  (xonzales,  aj^ainst  the  Ute 
and  Apache  Indians,  and  was  engaged  in  several  enga^jements  until 
.Tuly  of  said  year,  when  the  Indians  surrendered. 

"He  is  a  member  of  Trinidad  Post,  No.  25,  Department  of  Colorado 
and  Wyoming,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  Military  Order  of 
Loyal  Leg-ion,  I'olorado  Commandry. 

"He  held  office  as  Chief  Clerk  of  New  Mexico  Territorial  Senate, 
one  terra;  State  Senator  of  New  Mexico,  one  terra;  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  Taos  County,  New  Mexico,  two  terms;  Sheriff  and  Treasurer  of  Las 
Aniraas  County.  Colorado,  one  term. 

"He  was  Colonel  on  staff  of  Governor  Eaton  of  Colorado  with 
National  Guard,  one  terra,  and  Notary  Public  in  Colorado  for  about 
twenty  years."' 


"44  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Attorney  Eusebio  Chacon. 


Kiist'l)io  CliJK 


Hon.  Eusebio  Chacon,  native  of  New  Mexico  but  now  resident  of 
Ti'inidad,  Colo.,  where  he  is  practising-  law  and  is  Assistant  District 
Attorney.  Mr.  Chacon  is  the  author  of  several  writing-s  on  New  Mex- 
ico history.  His  valuable  services  to  the  public  are  referred  to  in 
another  part  of  this  work. 


ILLUSTRATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


"45 


Hon.  Jacobo  Ghc 


Hon.  Jacobo  Chavez  was  born  in  Valencia  county,  July  l'>,  1800. 
His  parents  were  Don  Francis  Antonio  Chavez  and  Doiia  Juan  Maria 
Chavez,  both  members  of  the  prominent  Chavez  family.  Don  Jacobo 
received  hiseducation  in  the  University  of  Saint  Louis,  Mo.,  and  Saint 
Michael's  Colleg-e  in  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.  Don  Jacobo  has  occupied  the 
following- public  positions.  Treasurer  of  Valencia  county  from  1.S94 
to  1S%.  County  Clerk  of  Valencia  county  from  181)5  to  19(K).  Member 
of  the  Territorial  Legislative  Council  from  1905  to  1!>09.  Superinten- 
dent of  Insurance  of  New  Mexico  from  1907  to  the  present  time  (1912). 


'46  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Captain  Manuel  Delgado. 


Captain  Manuel  Delgado. 


Captain  Manuel  Delgado,  founder  of  the  Delgado  family  in  New 
Mexico.  Don  Manuel  Delgado  served  with  distinction  in  the  Spanish 
army,  fought  in  many  battles  and  was  wounded  in  several  of  them. 
For  his  valuable  military  services  he  received  the  promotion  from 
a  private  to  the  rank  of  captain.  See  sketches  of  his  descendants  which 
follow. 


ILLUSTRATKD  FHSTORY  OF  NKW  MEXICO. 


Felipe  S.  Delgado. 


Mr.  I'Vlipe  S.  Delgado  was  the  son  of  Don  -Manuel  Delj^ado.  Don 
Manuel  was  the  son  of  Don  Maivos  and  Don  Marcos  was  llu'  son  of 
tl>e  first  Manuel  Delj^ado,  founder  of  the  family,  who  eaine  to  New 
Mexico  as  an  officer  of  the  Spanish  Army.  Don  Felipe  was  the 
brother    of    Simon.  Fernando.  Felipe,  Jr.,  and    Juan    T'ablo.     All    of 


Felipi'  S.  ])(■ 


Ul(.. 


tliese  l)rothers  li.yured  in  public  life  as  ))rorainently  as  their  distin- 
g-uished  f^reat  grand- father.  All  of  them  filled  honorable  positions 
and  all  were  merchants.  Don  Felipe  S.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
ajjpointed  by  President  Lincoln  as  Superintendent  of  Indian  Agencies 
in  New  Mexico.  He  also  served  several  times  as  member  of  the  Le- 
gislature, as  i'robate  Judge  of  Santa  Fe  ("ounty.  County  Commissioner 
and  member  of  the  School  lioard.  Don  Felipe  married  Dona  Benigna 
Garcia.  From  that  marriage  the  following  children  were  born,  Luz, 
Antonio,  Manuela,  Kmilio  and  Alfredo. 


'48 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Juan  Pablo  Delgado. 

Don  Juan  Pablo  Delgado  was  one  of  the  five  sons  of  Don  Manuel 
Delg^ado,  who  was  the  son  of  Don  Marcos  and  grandson  of  Captain 
Manuel  Delg-ado,  the  founder  of  the  family  of  that  name  in  New  Mex- 
ico.    Captain  Delgado  enlisted  in  the  royal  army    of  Spain  in  177(3  as 


luiii  Pablo  L)elK!ulo. 


private  and  was  promoted,  by  degrees,  for  valuable  and  meritorious 
services,  to  the  rank  of  captain.  While  in  the  military  service  he 
came  to  New  Mexico,  already  a  married  man,  in  1778,  settled  and  died 
in  the  country.  Don  Juan  Pablo  Delgado  filled  several  public 
positions  in  his  lifetime,  both  under  the  Mexican  and  the  American 
government. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


741) 


Felipe  B.  Delgado. 


Mr.  Felipe  B.  Delgado,  also  a  son  of  Don  Manuel  Delj,''ado,  lived  in 
Sarta  Fo  all  his  life,  was  educated  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  devoted  hia 
wliole  life  to  the  mercantile  business,  having- managed,  until  the  day  of 
his  death,  a  mercantile  establishment,  and  was,  in  the  days  of  the  fa- 


mous Santa  F^  trail,  one  of  the  principal  owners  of  mules  and  ox  trains 
freighting-  from  Santa  F^,  to  Independence,  Mo.,  and  from  Santa  Fe 
to  Chihuahua.  In  February,  1861>,  Mr.  Delgado  married  Miss  Lucia 
Ortiz,  daughter  of  Captain  Caspar  Ortiz  y  Alarid,  of  Santa  F^.  From 
this  marriage  there  was  an  issue  of  fifteen  children  of  which  only  the 
following-  are  living:  Mag-dalena,  Pablo.  Ana,  Lola  Lucia,  Pilar. 
Krnestina,  Geronimo  and  Mig-uel.  Don  Felipe  B.  died  in  Santa  Fe 
November  22,  11K)8. 


'50 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


E.  F( 


ernanaez. 


de2 


Jos^  Emilio  Fernandez  was  born  at  Trinidad,  Colorado,  April  10, 
1882,  being  the  son  of  Mr.  Jesus  Maria  Fernandez,  a  prominent  figure 
in  the  70's  in  Taos  County,  New  Mexico,  and  Mrs.  Rosita  Martinez. 

Mr.  Fernandez  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  of  Colorado. 
At  the  age  of  15  he  taught  a  private  school  at  Castskill,  New  Mexico, 
and  started  his  first  public  school,  at  Gulnore,  Colorado,   December 


12,  1898.  He  taught  in  the  public  schools  until  September,  1907,  when 
he  took  charge  of  "El  Progreso,"  of  Trinidad,  Colorado.  At  U  Mr. 
Fernandez  acted  as  assistant  postmaster  at  Madrid,  Colorado. 

Since  1907  he  has  been  writing  several  Spanish  works  and  in  May, 
1911,  he  wrote  in  Spanish  entitled  "Forty  Years  as  Legislator,  or 
Biography  of  Senator  Casimiro  Barela.'"  At  present  Mr.  Fernandez 
is  writing  Senator  Barela's  Biography  in  English. 

Mr.  Fernandez  has  also  been  prominent  in  politics  in  Las  Animas 
County  for  the  last  five  vears. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NRW    MEXICO.  751 

John   Ellsworth  Griffith. 

Born  on  a  farm,  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  Oftober  24tli,  \HM. 
Educated  in  country  schools  and  normal  scliools  at  Prospect  and 
Fostorio,  Ohio.  Graduated  from  Spencerian  Business  Col leg-e,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio:  Denison  University,  Granville,  Ohio,  and  the  Cincinnati 
Law  School  and  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  supreme  and  federal  courts 


.Tohn  Kllswortli  (iritliti 


of  Ohio  in  1890.  Taug-ht  in  country  and  normal  schools  and  after 
graduation  located  and  practiced  law  at  Marysville,  Ohio,  until  1898. 
While  located  at  Marysville,  including  four  years  in  Ohio  legislature, 
the  last  two  years  was  Speaker  pro  tern  of  the  House. 

In  .Tune.  lSii8,  came  to  New  Mexico,  located  at  Socorro,  was 
appointed  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Fifth  District. 

He  is  Past  Master  of  Masonic  Blue  Lodge.  Past  High  Priest  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons,  Past  Grand  Patron  Eastern  Star  of  New  Mexico,  32nd  de- 
gree Mason.  .Shriner,  Past  ChancellorCommander  K.  of  P.  and  an  Elk. 


•52 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


Nathan  Jaffa. 
Nathan  Jaffa  was  the  last  Secretary  of  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico, 
was  born  December  28,  1863,  at  Cassel,  Germany.  He  left  his  native 
country  while  still  a  young"  boy  and  came  to  the  United  States,  where 
he  completed  his  education  which  was  begun  in  the  Fatherland.  He 
has  been  actively  identified  with  the  business,  public  and  political 
affairs  of  New  Mexico  for  a  number  of  years,  is  a  banker  and  merchant 


Natliiin  .latTii. 

at  Roswell,  N.  M.  He  is  a  thirty-second  deg-ree  Mason,  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  Mexico;  was  Master  of  Roswell  Lodge  No.  IS 
for  two  years,  and  served  several  years  as  Excellent  High  Priest  of  Co- 
lumbia Royal  Arch  Chapter  No.  7,  at  Roswell.  Mr.  Jaffa  began  his 
political  career  as  a  county  commissioner  of  ('haves  county  and  as 
evidence  of  his  popularity  was  the  first  Republican  ever  elected  to 
l)ublic  office  in  that  county.  He  was  the  firstchairman  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  then  town  of  Roswell,  and  for  a  number  of  years  presi- 
dent of  tlie  Board  of  Education. 


ILLUSTKATKD    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


■.■3 


Hon.  Antonio  Lucero. 

Hon.  Antonio  Lucei-o,  Secretai-y  of  State,  was  born  on  a  ranch, 
near  Las  Veg-as.  on  the  <ilh  clay  of  October,  186."},  and  is,  therefore  48 
year  old. 

When  10  years  old  his  parents  moved  into  the  town  of  Las  Vegas, 
wliere    he  has  lived  ever  since.     At  the  latter    place    he    was  sent   to 


Hon.  Antonio  Lucero. 


l>rivatc  schools,  until  1S7!I,  when  he  entered  the  College  conducted  by 
the  Jesuit  Fathers  at  that  place.     He  attended  this  school  until  1885. 

Married  in  l):^!i.{  and  soon  after  his  marriage  he  became  assistant 
editor  of  La  Voz  del  Pueblo. 

For  the  last  ten  years  he  has  been  instructor  of  Spanish  in  the  Normal 
University  of  Las  Vegas  and  High  School  of  the  same  place  doing 
this  work  in  connection  with  iiis  editorial  work. 

He  was  also  the  chief  clerk  of  tlie  territorial  legislative  council  in 
1S!)5.     He  was  elected  Secretary  of  State  at  the  first  State  election. 


754  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Jeremiah  Leahy. 

Mr.  Jeremiah  Leahy,  was  born  in  Ottawa.  State  of  Illinois,  Sep- 
tember 15th,  1861— Educated  in  public  school  of  Valparaiso.  Indiana. 
Taug-ht  school  in  Li ving-ston  county,  Illinois.  Read  law  and  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  Pontiac.  in  18S8.  Came  to  Sprino-er,  New  Mexico  Decem- 
ber, 1888.  Moved  to  Raton  in  1891,  to  practice  his  profession.  Ap- 
pointed District  Attorney  in  1897,  and  was  re-appointed  for  several 
terms  thereafter,  was  member  of  the  Council  in  1904,  City  Attorney  of 
Raton,  from  1892  to  1897.  Has  held  many  other  public  positions  and 
stands  very  high  in  the  Republican  party,  and  is  a  very  useful  and 
worthy  citizen  of  New  Mexico. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  <  DO 

Napoleon   B.    Laughlin. 

Judge  N.  B.  Laug-hlin  was  horn  in  Illinois  on  the  23rd  day  of  July, 
1S44.  He  came  to  New  Mexico  in  187!»,  located  in  Santa  Fe  and  hegan  the 
practice  of  law  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful.  Judge  Laughlin 
was  appointed  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  Mexico 
and  served  as  such  from  lSM-1898.  He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the 
Legislative  Council. 


Judge  Laughlin  is  a  self  made  man.  He,  like  Abraham  Lincoln,  did 
not  have  the  advantage  of  an  education  and  had  to  educate  himself, 
beginning  to  learn  reading  and  writing  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  all  by 
himself.  His  prominence  in  life  as  a  citizen  and  as  a  lawyer  emphasizes 
the  truth  that  a  man  can  be  in  this  life  a  useful  and  able  man,  even  if 
born  in  poverty,  if  he  has  the  stamina,  energy,  will  and  courage  to 
fight  the  way  to  the  top  of  the  ladder. 


'56 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Salomon   Luna. 

Don  Salomon  Luna  is  the  son  of  Don  Antonio  Jose  Luna  and  Dona 
Isabel  Baca,  both  belonging  to  two  of  the  oldest  and  most  illustrious 
Spanish  families  of  New  Mexico.  Don  Salomon  was  born  at  Los  Lunas 
October  IS.  IS.'jS.     He  received  his  education  partly  at  St.    Michael "; 


College,  in  Santa  F^,  and  partly  at  the  St.  Louis  University.  Don 
Salomon  is  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Republican  party  in  New  Me.xico. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  national  executive  committee  of  that  party.  In 
the  year  18H1,  he  married  Miss  Adelaida  Otero,  daughter  of  Don 
Manuel  R.  Otero  and  Doiia  Ana  Maria  Otero.  Don  Salomon  resides 
at  Los  Lunas.  In  October,  1910,  lie  was  one  of  the  delegates  to  the 
constitutional  convention. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Elisha  Van   Long. 


Juiljje  K.  V.  Lonj>-,  was  born  in  Indiana  on  the  7th  day  of  March, 
l,s;{rt.  was  educated  in  the  same  state  and  is  a  graduate  of  Fort  Wayne 
Colle.ire.  Before  getting  into  tlie  active  practice  of  the  law  in 
his  state  lie  taught  school  for  many  years  and  was  also  a  clerk  in  a 
store.  He  practiced  law  in  Indiana  with  great  success  distinguishing 
himself  us  a  lawyer  and  receiving  as  a  reward  for  his  ability  and 
uprightness  the  appointment  of  Circuit  Judge  of  the  Foui-th  Judicial 
district  of  Indiana  in  1872. 


Klishii  Viin  Lour. 


Prior  to  that  time,  in  1800,  he  had  been  editing  a  paper.  He  was  a 
Delegate  to  the  State  Democratic  Conventions  from  18(52-1884  and  also 
a  Delegate  to  the  National  Democratic  Conventions  in  1800  and  187(5. 

In  October,  1885,  he  was  appointed  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  New  Mexico,  in  which  position  he  served  until  188i).  While  he  was 
Chief  Justice  of  New  Mexico,  the  administration  in  New  Mexico  was 
all  Democratic  with  Governor  Ross  at  the  head  of  the  public  affairs. 
Governor  Ross  undertook  to  summarily  remove  all  the  Republican  otli- 
cials  but   Attorney  General  Wm.   Breeden  and  the  other  Republican 


758  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

officials  declined  to  submit  to  Governor  Ross's  arbitrarj^  and  unjusti- 
fiable acts  and  Mr.  Ashenfelter,  Ross's  appointee  brought  the  case  into 
the  courts.  When  the  case  reached  the  Supreme  Court,  Judge  "Long 
rendered  the  decision  of  the  court  denying  the  Governor's  right  to 
remove  the  Attorney  General  or  any  other  public  officials  on  political 
grounds.  For  doing  his  duty  in  such  a  fearless  manner,  upholding  the 
law  against  his  party,  he  received  much  political  criticism  from  his 
party  friends  but  that  did  not  hinder  him  from  upholding  the  dignity 
of  the  court  and  the  majesty  of  the  law.  Two  other  cases,  of  the 
greatest  importance  to  the  people  of  New  Mexico,  in  which  Judge  Long 
again  showed  his  courage  and  legal  knowledge,  were  the  cases  of  the 
Caiion  del  Agua  and  that  of  Las  Vegas  Grant.  His  decisions  in  both 
of  these  cases  stand  today  as  the  leading  and  most  important  decisions 
of  New  Mexico  on  the  principle  of  law  and  equity  affected  by  said 
cases.  Judge  Long  was  very  generally  congratulated  and  admired 
when  the  jist  of  said  cases  were  thoroughly  understood,  which  fact 
has  given  the  judge  much  personal  pleasure.  In  the  Las  Vegas  Grant 
case,  his  decision  established  principles  which  never  before  had  been 
applied,  at  least  in  New  Mexico,  and  the  result  will  finally  be  in  favor 
of  all  cummunities  organized  under  the  law  of  Community  Grants. 
The  last  two  mentioned  decisions  like  the  first  one,  made  many  enemies 
for  the  judge.  His  enemies  remained  quiet  until  the  creation  of  the  Court 
of  Private  Land  Claims  when  Judge  Long  was  about  to  be  appointed 
as  a  member  of  that  court  but  his  enemies  succeeded  in  inserting  a 
proviso  in  the  act  which  created  the  court,  that  no  resident  of  New 
Mexico  or  Arizona  should  be  eligible  as  a  judge  for  such  a  court, 
which  was,  of  course,  aimed  at  Judge  Long  and  had  its  effect. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


'59 


Oclaviano  A.  Larrazolo. 

Don  Octaviano  Ambrosio  Larrazolo  was  born  at  Allende,  State  of 
Chihuahua,  Mexico,  on  December  Tth,  1S,59;  his  parents  were  Don 
(Vtaviano  Larrazolo,  and  Dona  Donai'iana  Corral  de  Larrazolo.  In 
1870,  he  came  to  this  country,  under  the  protection  of  His  Most  Illus- 
trious Lordship,  Don  Juan  Bautista  Salpointe,  at  that  time  Apostolic 


Drtavinno  A.  T,ariii/oIo. 


Vicar  of  Arizona,  and  later  on  Archbishop  of  Santa  F^.  He  made 
his  course  of  studies  at  the  Collej^e  of  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  in 
IST.'i  and  1876.  In  1878  he  established  himself  at  San  Elizario,  county 
of  El  Paso,  Texas,  where  he  was  g'iven  charg-e  of  the  public  school  of 
that  town  from  that  year  to  the  end  of  the  year  1884.  In  1885  he  was 
appointed  deputy  county  clerk  of  sai^J  county  of  Kl  Paso,  the  same 
year  was  appointed  clerk  of  tlie  federal  courts  at  El  Paso. 


reo 


ILLUSTRATED  HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


,  Felix  Martinez. 

Don  Felix  Martinez  was  born  in  the  county  of  Taos,  on  the  29th  of 
March.  1857.  At  Mora  he  attended  the  school  of  the  Christian  Brothers. 
His  parents  moved  afterwards  to  Colorado.  At  the  age  of  14  he  com- 
menced to  work  as  an  employee  in  a  mercantile  house.  He  continued 
for  several  vear  working-    at  times  in  the  mercantile  business  and  at 


Felix  M.-utiin'/. 


times  attendin^if  school.  Before  attaining;-  the  a^iie  of  20  years  he 
established  a  mercantile  house  at  El  Moro,  Colorado,  continuing;-  the 
same  subsequently  at  Otero  and  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico.  About  the 
year  188<),  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  In  1897  he  visited  the 
city  of  El  Paso,  where  he  established  himself  and  again  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  with  wonderful  success.  Very  many  are  the  enter- 
prises that  have  caused  the  prosperity  of  Ei  Paso,  of  which  he  has  been 
tiie  chief  promoter.     Among  them  the  ones  that  stand  in  bolder  relief 


ILLUSTRATKl)    HISTORY    OF    NKW    MKXICO.  701 

are:  Tlie  Kleotric  Car  Service:  The  Potable  Water  Kountain  Works; 
tliernion  Hepot;  the  Southwestern CementCompany:  the  lOlephant  IJutte 
Irrifration  ProjeiM,  for  the  success  of  wliicli  Mr.  Martinez  directed  tlie 
wliole  plan  and  also  the  canipaij^'n.  To  consummate  this  most  im])ortant 
enterprise,  Mr.  Martinez  displayed  his  yood  tact  in  interestin*^  the 
Me.xican  irovernraent.  and.  by  means  of  diplomacy,  he  succeeded  in 
having  an  agreement  entered  into  by  the  two  governments  which  insures 
the  success  of  the  enterprise.  This  enterprise  will  cause  the  circula- 
tion of  eight  million  dollars  in  New  Mexico. 

From  the  age  of  18  he  began  to  become  interested  in  political  matters, 
adopting  Democratic  principles  as  his  political  creed.  In  1884,  he 
was  nominated  for  county  treasurer,  and  he  had  already  gained  such 
popularity,  that,  although  the  Rei)ublicans,  in  those  times  had  l)een 
accustomed  to  carry  the  county  of  San  Miguel  by  majorities  from 
l.")(M)  to  2000  votes,  he  lost  by  only  200  votes.  In  188(i  he  was  elected 
county  assessor.  In  1888  he  was  elected  representative  to  the  legisla- 
tive assembly  and  1892  to  the  legislative  council.  From  189;{  to  18!»T 
he  was  secretary  of  the  District  Court.  To  his  efforts  the  establishment 
was  due  of  the  Insane  Asylum  and  Normal  School  at  Las  Vegas.  At 
the  last  meeting  of  the  Presidents,  Taft  and  Diaz,  Mr.  Martinez  played 
a  most  important  part. 

In  the  calamitous  revolution  in  the  Mexican  Republic  by  F.  I. 
Madero,  November  lUlO,  and  happily  ended  in  May  1912,  Mr.  Marti- 
nez co-(^]ierated  with  other  })rominent  citizens  in  smoothing  the  diffi- 
culties that  presented  themselves  as  an  obstacle  to  the  suspension  of 
hostilities.  No  service  of  his  in  favor  of  the  public  welfare  has  been  for 
himself  more  important  than  that.  In  a  letter  addressed  to  La  Voz 
del  Pueblo,  dated  the  25th  of  April  1911,  he  expresses  his  satisfaction 
with  these  words:  "I  feel  that,  during  my  lifetime,  I  have  never  con- 
tributed to  any  work  as  noble,  and  of  such  l>eneficial  results  as  tliis 
one  will  result. "" 


762 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


Captain  Gandelario  Martinez- 
Captain  Candelario  Martinez  was  born  in  Santa  Fe  on  the  2nd  day 
of  February,  1845,  was  educated  in  St.  Michael's  college.    At  18  years 
of  age  he  enlisted  in  Co.  A.  1st  Infantry  of  N.  M.  Volunteers  as  pri- 
vate, was  made  first  duty  sergeant,  also   sergeant  major  of  the  regi- 


Captain  Candelario  Martinez. 


ment,  and  within  five  months  of  his  first  enlistment  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant,  Co.  B..  same  regiment,  and  when  only  20  years  of 
age  he  was  commissioned  1st  lieutenant  and  captain  by  brevet  for 
meritorious  services  in  re-capturing  the  United  States  mail  that  had 
been  captured  by  the  Kiowas  and  Comanche  Indians  in  the  plains;  he 
was  shot  in  the  forehead;  he  was  also  wounded  by  the  Apaches  in 
southern  Arizona.  Is  an  attorney-at-law,  and  he  has  occupied  the 
positions  of  postmaster  and  probate  judge. 


ILLUSTRATED   EIISTOKY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


'05 


John  R.  McFie. 

Theliistory  of  the  life  of  .)ud*,'-e  McFie  is  very  interesting'.  John  and 
Klizabeth  McFie  came  to  America  in  184."),  and  settled  in  Wasliington 
county,  Illinois.  As  a  boy  he  attended  the  public  schools  of  Illinois, 
and  had  the  benefit  of  his  fatlier's  private  teaching-  until  the  civil  war 
broke  out.  at  which  he  burned  with  the  desire  of  joining'  the  army.  He 
marched  with  Sherman  to  the  sea,  serving    to  the  end  of  the  war.  and 


was  discharged  in  .June,  ISti.).  After  the  war  he  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising, and,  next,  in  the  study  of  law,  and  in  1870  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  Illinois.  Judge  McFie  came  to  the  Territory  in  1884, 
establishing  himself  at  Las  Cruces  with  his  family.  He  served  as^ 
Reg-ister  of  Public  Lands  until  December,  1885.  He  afterwards  joined 
Judge  S.  B.  Newcomb,  as  partner  at  law.  In  March,  1889,  he  was 
appointed  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  Mexico.  He  served 
four  years,  then  resumed  his  practice  as  a  lawyer,  but  in  1897  he  was 
ag'ain  appointed  Associate  Justice  by  President  McKinley  and  re- 
appointed again  in  1901  and  in  1905  by  President  Roosevelt. 
His  record  in  the  Tribunal  is  very  remarkable. 


764  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


Rev.  Antonio  J-  Martinez. 


Wliose  i;reat  works  and   life  have  been  referred  to  in  otiier  parts  of 
tliis  work. 


ILLUSTRATKD    F^ISTORY    OF    NKW    MEXICO. 


r65 


Malaqi 


Marlint 


^ 


Maliuiiiiiis   Mar 


Don  Malaciuias  Martinez  y  Valdez.  a  son  of  Hon.  Santiag^o  Valdez, 
was  horn  in  Taos  on  December  loth.  ISoit.  In  1<S;M)  he  was  elected 
senator  from  the  counties  of  Taos.  Kio  Arriba  and  San  Juan,  and 
li>03-5  he  was  again  made  senator.  In  the  constitutional  convention 
held  in  Santa  Fe,  in  October  IHIO,  he  was  a  delegate  from  the  County 
of  Taos.    Oil  inspector,  1905  to  1912. 


766  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

Epimenio  A.  Miera. 

Hon.  Epimenio  Miera,  is  a  self  made  man.  He  has  gone  through  the 
crucible  and  made  good.  Mr.  Miera  received  his  education  in 
the  College  of  San  Miguel  in  Santa  Fe.  He  was  born  in  Algodones, 
New  Mexico,  in  the  year  1865;  began  life  as  a  clerk  in  a  mercantile 
estaV)lishment  owned  by  his  uncle,  Don   Florencio  Sandoval,  at  Algo- 


I 


Kpiinenio  A.  Miera. 

dones,  from  which  place  he  moved  to  Cuba.  New  Mexico,  started 
business  in  his  own  name  and  made  a  success  of  it.  In  public  life  he 
has  held  the  following  positions:  County  Commissioner,  and  President 
of  that  board  of  Bernalillo  county,  from  1898  to  1903.  and  again 
elected  member  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  of  Sandoval 
county  in  the  fall  of  1903,  when  Sandoval  county  was  created,  was 
member  of  tlie  legislative  Council  in  1906;  member  and  speaker  of 
House  of  Representatives  in  1908;  member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention in  1910.  and  member  of  the  first  State  Senate  in  1912. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


•H7 


Nestor  Monloya. 


Nestor  Montoyi 


Don  Nestor  Montoya  was  l)orn  in  tlie  Old  Town  of  Albuquerque  in 
1862.  He  is  a  g-raduate  of  St.  Michael's  Colleg^e.  Immediately  after 
he  had  concluded  his  studies  he  was  for  live  years  assistant  postmaster 
at  the  Capital.  In  1884  he  was  appointed  interpreter  of  the  courts. 
From  that  date  Mr.  Montoya  has  continually  held  that  post.  In  the 
year  188!>.  Mr.  Montova  founded  ''La  Vox  del  Pueblo.'" 


76!^  ILLCSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Governor  W.  G.  McDonald. 


iifiii|i[     ^^11^  . 

5«P  1^ 


H 


I 


Williiim  ('.   McDoiiiilil, 

First  State  (Jovenior,  Inaugurated  at  Saiit; 

Fe,  January  15,  1912. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


769. 


Manuel  R.  Otero. 


Manuil    It. 


Don  Manuel  Rito  Otero  is  a  son  of  Hon.  Antonio  Jose  Otero,  who 
was  one  of  the  first  three  judges  of  New  Mexico,  appointed  by  General 
Kearny  in  1846.  He  was  born  at  Peralta,  N.  M.,  on  May  23,  1841.  He 
received  his  education  at  the  St.  Louis  University.  The  people  of  the 
County  of  Valencia  honored  him  for  eight  consecutive  years,  with  the 
ofiBce  of  county  clerk.  From  the  year  1898  he  has  filled,  and  is  now 
filling  for  the  seventh  term  the  office  of  register  in  the  government  land 
office  at  Santa  F^. 


770 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW   MEXICO. 


Modesto   G.   Ortiz. 


Don  Modesto  is  the  eldest  son  of  Don  Mateo  Ortiz  and  Dona  Ig-nacia 
("ano.  He  was  born  in  Santa  Fe  and  received  his  primary  education 
in  a  school  conducted  by  the  author  of  this  work  (his  maternal 
brother)  at  St.  Michael's  College,  Santa  P^,  New  Mexico.  Having- tin- 
islied  his  studies,  he  earnestly  dedicated  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law 
and  was  admitted  to  thebar  of  the  State.  Besides  his  profession,  Don 
Modesto  has  rendered  valuable  services  to  his  people  in  public  life. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OP    NEW    MEXICO. 


Caspar  Ortiz  y  Alarid. 


Don  Gaspar  Ortiz  y  Alarid. 


Don  Caspar  Oriiz  y  Alarid  was  one  of  the  famous  travelers  over  the 
celebrated  Santa  F6  trail,  having-,  nearly  all  his  life,  been  the 
owner  of  ox  as  well  as  mule  wag-on-freighting- trains  between  Independ- 
ence. Mo.,  and  Santa  F6,  and  between  Santa  F6,  Chihuahua  and 
Durang-o,  Mexico,  ])esides  conducting-  in  Santa  Fe  a  large  mercantile 
establishment.  Don  Gaspar  held  many  public  offices  in  New  Mexico, 
and  served  with  distinction  as  cai)tain  of  one  of  the  New  Mexico  militia 
companies,  on  the  Union  side,  during-  the  last  civil  war.  He  died  in 
Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  in  .July,  1882. 


772  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Hon.  Demetrio  Perez. 


Hon.   Dt'iiu'trio  I'ere/ 


Don  Demetrio  is  the  son  of  Governor  Albino  Pdrez,  who  was  assas- 
sinated in  1837  (ante.)  Don  Demetrio  has  filled  in  New  Mexico  with 
great  credit  many  public  positions,  the  last  having-  been  that  of  Auditor 
of  Public  Accounts.  His  valuable  services  to  the  public  are  referred 
to  in  another  part  of  this  work. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTOHY    OP    NEW    MEXICO.  773 

L.  Bradford  Prince. 

Mr.  I'riiK'e  was  honrin  Klushiiii,'-,  Now  ^'ork.  His  father  was  a 
descendant  of  tlie  i'rince  family  of  Long  Island.  In  1858  he  founded  the 
''Flushini>-  Library  Association."  In  I86I,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Queen's  County  Commission.  From  18()(j  to  1878,  he  was  a  deleg-ate  to 
all  the  conventions  of  his  State,  New  York,  and  in  1808  he  was  a  dele- 
oate  to  the  National  Convention  which  nominated  Grant  for  President. 
In  1870  he  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  New  York,  re-elected  the 
next  year,  and  aj^ain  elected  in  187.5-74-75.  In  187()-77  he  was  a  Senator 
of  New  York  in  the  State  Senate,  and  was  delegate  to   the    National 


..  Hriiilfonl  I'riiu-f. 


Convention  that  nominated  Hayes  for  President.  He  was  appointed, 
in  187i».  Chief  Justice  of  New  Mexico.  He  arrived  in  Santa  Fe  the  first 
Saturday  of  February,  and  on  Monday  following  he  opened  court  at 
the  Capital.  He  was  a  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress  in  1884, 
against  Mr.  Antonio  Joseph,  the  Democratic  candidate,  and  Rynerson, 
another  candidate  of  his  own  party.  In  1881  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  University  of  New  Mexico.  On  April  2,  188i),  he  was  appointed 
Governor  of  New  Mexico  by  President  Harrison  for  4  years.  He  has 
also  been  a  member  of  the  New  Mexico  Senate.  He  has  filled  many 
other  offices  of  honor  and  profit.  He  has  written  many  works  of  great 
merit,  among  them  the '"History  of  New  Mexico"  (in  English),  and  the 
last  one  entitled  "The  Struggle  for  Statehood,"  published  in  the  year 
IMIO.  Governor  Prince  is  the  father  of  the  law  which  authorized  the 
establishment  of  the  Spanish-American  Normal  school  at  Kl  Rito. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


George  W.  Prichard. 

Colonel  George  W.  Prichard  has  been  an  attorney  at  the  New  Mex- 
ico bar  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  was  born  at  New 
Harmony,  Indiana.  Colonel  Prichard  graduated  from  the  literary 
and  law  departments  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor, 
leaving  that  institution  in  1872.  He  practiced  law  at  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,   for  some  years  following    his    graduation,    and    was    ap- 


pointed lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Arkansas  militia.  In  1876,  Colonel 
Prichard  was  a  candidate  for  presidential  elector  on  ihe  Republican 
ticket.  In  1879  he  came  west  and  settled  at  Las  Vegas.  Twice  he  has 
been  elected  to  the  legislative  council.  In  1882,  he  was  appointed 
I'nited  States  attorney  for  New  Me.xico,  which  i)osition  he  filled  until 
the  Cleveland  administration  appointed  a  Democrat  in  his  stead.  He 
served  as  solicitor  general  from  1904  until  the  spring  of  1906  and  in 
1909-10  and  was  delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention  in  1910,  and 
is  now  engaged  in  the  private  practice  of  law  at  Santa  Fd. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


775 


William  Hayes  Pope. 

William  Hayes  Pope,  born  at  Beauford,  S.  Car.  June  14,  1870, 
ijraduated  188H.  Atlanta,  Ga.,  High  Soliool  and  188!>  University  of 
Georgia,  deg-ree  Master  of  Arts  and  18!)0  Bachelor  of  Laws.  Admitted 
to  practic-e  of  law  ISJM),  and  i)racliced  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  until  181)4  in 
association  with  Hon.  Hoke  Smith.  Removed  to  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  in 
1894  and  has  resided  in  New  Mexico  ever  since  with    exception  of  a 


Hays  F<.[) 


year  in  tlie  Philippine  Ishmds.  Served  as  member  Capitol  Commis- 
sion (which  rebuilt  the  capitol )  1895-1900,  Assistant  Attorney'  General 
1895-1897,  Assistant  United  States  Attorney  court  of  private  land 
claims  1896-1902,  United  States  Attorney  for  Pueblo  Indian!^  of  New 
Mexico  lJMH-02,  Judge  Court  of  First  Instance  of  the  Philippine  Islands 
1902-03,  Associate  Justice  Supreme  Court  of  New  Mexico  190.3-10,  Cliief 
Justice  Supreme  Court  of  New  Mexico  1910-12.  Appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  delegate  to  Information  Congress  Lawyers  and  Judges 
St.  Louis  exposition  1904.  Upon  formation  of  new  state  of  New 
Mexico  in  1912  became  its  first  United  States  District  Judge.  Mar- 
ried (1905)  to  Miss  May  Hull  of  Athens,  Georgia.  Member  of  Presby- 
terian church.  Elks,  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Society  of  Colonial  Wars. 


776  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


Nicolas  Pino. 


Don  Nicolas  Pino  died  a  few  years  a^o,  after  having-  rendered  im- 
portant services  to  the  Union  and  New  Mexico.  His  death  occurred 
at  his  home  in  Galisteo,  County  of  Santa  Fe.  He  was  a  son  of  Don 
Pedro  Bautista  Pino,  who,  as  the  reader  may  remember,  was  New 
Mexico's  Delegate  to  Spain  from  1810  to  1820. 


ILLUSTUATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Margarilo  Romero. 


Maru-arito  Romero,  son  of  Don  Miguel  Romero  y  Baca  and  of  Dofia 
Josefa  Delg-ado,  was  horn  at  the  "Real  de  San  Francisco,"  County 
of  Santa  Fe,  but  from  his  infancy,  has  lived  at  Las  Veg-as.  At  the 
age  of  six  years  he  attended  a  primary  school,  and  when  he  was  14,  he 
was  sent  to    the  Christian  lirothei-s"  Colleffe    at    Santa    Fe.     Tliere  he 


Mil  Dili  liH)  Ron 


commenced  his  commercial  studies.  When  he  was  1"  years,  he  was 
sent  to  St.  Louis  where  he  concluded  his  commercial  course.  He  after- 
wards worked  as  clerk  in  several  mercantile  houses.  He  married 
Miss  Irinea  Delgado  in  1ST2:  tliey  were  blessed  with  a  progeny  of  eight 
children  all  of  whom  died  while  yet  infants.  Mr.  Romero  has  held 
several  important  positions,  chief  among  which  was  the  county  treasury 
and  collectorship,  and  his  Delegateshijj  to  the  Constitutional  C^onven- 
tion  of  October.  H'ln. 


778 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Alois  B.  Renehan. 

Mr.  Renehan  was  born  in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  on  the  6th  day  of 
January,  1869,  was  educated  at  the  Colleg-e  of  St.  John  at  Washing-ton. 
D.  C.,and  St.  Charles  College,  atEllicot,  Maryland,  where  he  prepared 
himself  for  the  study  of  law  in  the  University  of  Georgetown.  In  the 
autumn  of  the  vear  1892  he  came  west  and  located  in  Santa  Fe,  where 


he  began  his  legal  career  as  stenographer  to  Mr.  Eugene  Fiske;  was 
in  1894  admitted  to  practice  in  the  supreme  court  of  New  Mexico,  and 
in  18it.")  was  the  city  attorney  for  the  City  of  Santa  F^,  by  appointment, 
and  succeeded  himself  by  election  in  1897.  While  a  Democrat,  Mr. 
Renehan  was  honored  from  1899  to  1902  as  secretary  of  the  Democratic 
central  committee.  In  the  political  campaign  of  1911  he  left  the  Demo- 
cratic party  and  joined  the  Republican  party. 


ILLUSTRATED    HISTORY    OF    XKW    MKXICO. 


Alejandro  Read. 


Alejandro  Read  was  born  in  Santa  F^,  New  Mexico,  on  Autfust 
loth,  1S,")0,  a  son  of  Benjamin  Franklin  Read,  and  of  Ignacia  Cano. 
His  father  died  in  the  year  1857,  he  beinj,'  the  eldest  of  the  family. 
-Mejandro.  with  his  brothers,  Benjamin  and  Larkin,  received  his  edu- 
cation  at  St.    .Mii'hael's  Colleo-e,  in    Santa  Ft'.     Mr.    Read    served  as 


interpreter  for  the  Indian  Superintendent,  at  Santa  F6,  studied  law 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1884.  In  1885  he  was  elected  clerk  of 
the  Probate  Court,  Assessor  in  1887,  and  in  1889  was  again  elected 
clerk  of  the  i'robate  Court.  He'^was  sheriff  in  IdOO  and  in  1902,  and 
in  1904  member  of  the  Leg-islative  Council  of  the  'J'erritory.  District 
Attorney  in  1905,  1907,  1!M>9  and  1911.  At  the  first  State  election  held 
Nov.  7,  1911,  Mr.  Read  was  elected  District  At  orney  for  the  district 
composed  of  Santa  F«5,  San  Juan  and  Rio  Arriba  counties  for  a  term 
of  four  vears. 


780  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 

L.  G-  Read. 

Larkin  Gregory  Read,  brother  of  Don  Alejandro,  and  of  the  author 
of  this  work,  was  born  in  Santa  F^  on  May  26,  1856.  His  education, 
as  well  as  that  of  Don  Alejandro  and  the  author  of  this  work,  is  pri- 
marily due  to  the  great  sacrifices  their  mother  made;  and,  secondly. 
to    the   generous    help   extended    to   them    by  the    Most    Illustrious 


1,.  <i.  Read. 

Arclibishop,  Don  Juan  Bautista  Lamy.  Larkin  was  preceptor 
in  St.  Micheal's  College  for  five  years:  private  Secretary  of  Gov- 
ernor Giddings:  school  teacher  at  Taos  and  Colorado  until  the 
year  1883.  In  1884,  he  and  the  author  of  this  work  were  the  tran- 
slators of  the  compiled  laws  of  New  Mexico  compiled  in  that  year.  In 
1886,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  In  1896  was  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture for  the  County  of  Santa  F4,  and  the  next  year,  1897.  died  in  Santa 
Ft?.     Don  Larkin  married  Miss  Teodorita  Valdez  v  Martinez. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NFIW    MEXICO. 


f81 


J.   B.   Read. 


J.  B.  Read. 


Jacobo  Bossuet  Read,  was  born  in  Taos,  on  July  5th,  1879.  Hi& 
parents  were  Mr.  Larkin  G.  Read  and  Mrs.  Teodora  Martinez  de 
Read.  Mr.  Read  was  educated  at  St.  Micheal's  Colleg'e  in  Santa  Fe. 
He  is  to-day  the  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank.  On  June  22nd, 
1905,  Don  Jacobo  married  Miss  Myrtle  Hampel,  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  H.  Hampel. 


782  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OP   NEW    MEXICO. 

Hon.  Charles  A.  Spiess. 


("liarh's  A.  SpU'ss. 

Mr.  .Spii'ss,  for  inan\  voars  one  of  the  leadinf>'  attorneys  of  New 
Mexico,  was  president  of  (."onstitutional  Convention,  1910.  Member  of 
the  Senate  for  several  terms.  District  Attorney  several  years.  Leader 
of  the  Republican  party. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


(83 


Be 


rd  Seligr 


Bernard  Seli^nian  came  to  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  in  18;j(),  from 
Germany,  engag'ed  in  business  under  the  firni  name  of  Seligman  and 
Cleaver,  which  partnership  was  maintained  until  the  election  of  Mr. 
Cleaver  as  delejifate  to  Cong'ress.  Bernard  Seli^fraan  was  several 
times  a  member  of  tlie  Leirislaturr.  sei'vinjr  in  the  Senate  and    House 


Bernard  ScliyiiiiU). 


» 


and  was  chairman  of  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners  for  three 
terms.  He  was  also  Territorial  Treasurer,  was  Commissioner  to  the 
E.xposition  in  Vienna  for  New  Mexico  in  1872,  and  to  tlie  Exposition 
in  Paris  in  188L  He  built  the  first  Court  House  in  Santa  Fe  county. 
He  served  in  the  Army  with  a  commission  from  Governor  Connelly  as 
Captain  and  Quartermaster,  was  a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Died  in  Philadelphia,  February 
3,  190H. 


^84 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Hon.  Arthur  Seligman- 

Mr.  Seligman,  was  born  June  14th,  1871,  in  Santa  Fe.  He  is  a  son 
of  Bernard  Seligman,  and  Frances  (Nusbaum)  Seligman.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Santa  F^,  and  Philadelphia,  is  a 
graduate  of  Swarthmore  College,  Pa.,  and  Pierce's  College  of  Business 
of  Philadelphia,  1887.     Entered  mercantile  business  in  Santa  Fe,  1888. 

Chairman  of  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners,  Santa  F^  County, 
1899-1907.     Made  the  first  survey  of  the  county;  built  a  modern   county 


Hon.  Arthur  Seligman 

jail:  built  three  stone  bridges  in  the  city  and  placed  the  credit  of  the 
county  on  sound  basis;  Chairman  of  Democratic  Central  Committee 
and  member  of  Territorial  Committee  from  1895  to  1911;  member  of 
Board  of  Pan-American  Exposition,  Buffalo,  1900;  Treasurer  of  the 
New  Mexico  Board  St.  Louis  Exposition,  1904;  Member  of  the  Terri- 
tory Irrigation  Commission,  1902-4;  Member  Territorial  Board  of 
Equalization,  1906-8;  Mayor  of  Santa  F^  from  1910  to  1912— as  such, 
he  built  the  first  brick  and  asphaU-paved  streets  in  the  city  and  Terri- 
tory; was  the  last  City  Mayor  under  Territorial  and  first' under  State 
government.  In  189(5  Mayor  Seligman  married  Frankie  Lacker  Har- 
ris, of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


ILLUSTHATKD   IIISTOKV    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


•H5 


Abraham  Slaab. 

Mr.  Staab  was  born  in  Westphalia,  Germany,  7.5  years  a«>o,  was 
educated  in  Germany  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1K58.  When  he 
came  to  America  he  had  ac(iuired  a  i^ood  commercial  education,  which 
fact  enabled  him  to  (ind  employment,  immediately  upon  his  arrival  in 
Norfolk.  Vir>iinia,  as  clerk  in  one  of  the  lari^est  dry  gfoods  establish- 
ments in  the  United  States.  In  ISdo  he.  in  company  with  one  brother 
of  his,  came  to  Santa  Fe,  where  they  started  a  ])artnership  in  a  g-eneral 


Abraliaiii  Stiuib. 


merchandise  retail  store  in  Santa  Fe.  their  business  growing-  so  rapidly 
that  it  did  not  take  them  lonjj-  to  extend  their  trade  throughout  the 
southwest,  and  even  into  Mexico.  Mr.  Staab's  brother  died  in  1883, 
after  which  date  Mr.  Staab  continued  the  business  of  the  tirm  in  his 
own  name,  and  as  absolute  proprietor,  until  l!K)2,  when  he  retired  from 
active  business,  and  is  leisurely  livinii'  his  last  years  in  Santa  F^, 
where  he  expects  to  die  and  be  buried  alongside  of  his  deceased  wife, 
Mrs.  .Julia  Staab,  who  died  in  Santa  Fe  on  the  14th  day  of  May,  LSHti. 
and  is  buried  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Staab  became  the  i)arents  of  eight 
children,  four  boys  and  four  girls,  all  living  except  one  girl. 


'86 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 


Geran  St.  Vrain. 

Col.  St.  Vrain  was  one  of  the  first  American  merchants  that 
came  to  New  Mexico  from  Missouri.  In  the  anti-American  revolt 
of  1847,  he  raised  in  Santa  Fe  a  volunteer  company  of  65  men 
and  accompanied  Col.  Price,  who  was  in  command  of  the  regular 
army    that   marched    up   to   Taos   in    January    of   that   year   to    put 


down  the  rebellion.  Col.  St.  Vrain  distintiuished  himself  in  tliat 
memorable  military  campaig-n.  In  1850  he  was  nominated  by  the  party 
headed  by  Don  Tomas  C.  de  Baca  as  Lieutenant  Governor  against 
Manuel  Alvarez,  who  was  running-  for  the  same  office  in  the  ticket 
lieaded  by  Henry  Connelly.  The  Baca  ticket,  printed  in  another  part 
of  tliis  book  appeared  afterwards  with  the  name  of  Alvarez  instead  of 
St.  Vrain's  from  which  fact  one  is  led  to  believe  that  St.  Vrain 
declined  the  nomination. 


ILLUSTUATEI)    HISTORY    OF    NEW    MKXICO. 


Benedict  St.   Vr 


Nephew  of  Ceran  St.  Vrain,  pioneer  merchant  in  the  town  of  M( 
N.  M..  where  he  established  the  big-  St.  Vrain  Mercantile  Store. 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO. 


Richard  H.  Tompkins. 

Judg-e  Tompkins  was  born  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  September  14. 
1816,  received  ^his  education  in  Vicksburg-,  Mississippi.  Came  to 
New  Mexico  in  the  fall  of  1851.  as  Clerk  of  the  United  States  District 
Court  for  New  Mexico  to  which  position  he  was  appointed  by  Grafton 
Baker  who  had  been,  the  same  year,  appointed  Judge  of  the  said 
District  Court  with  headquarters  at  Santa  Fe. 


H.  Tonipkiii!- 


Prior  to  his  coming-  to  New  Mexico,  Mr.  Tompkins  had  occupied 
high,  responsible  and  honorable  positions  under  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, the  last  being  that  of  assistant  to  the  United  States  Marshal  of  the 
Southern  District  of  Mississippi  in  the  taking  of  the  7th  census.  The 
following  oath  (which  the  author  of  this  work  has  in  his  possession)  as 
such  assistant  was  subscribed  to  by  him:  "I,  Richard  H.  Tomjikins. 
of  the  County  of  Warren,  an  assistant  to  the  Marshal  of  the  Southern 
District  of  Mississijjpi,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  make  a  true  and 
exact  enumeiation  of  all  the  inhabitants  within  the  district  assigned  to 
me,  and  will  also  faithfully  collect    the  other    statistics    therein   in  the 


ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF    NEW    MEXICO.  789 

manner  provided  in  the  Act  for  takin<,'  the  7th  census  and  in  con- 
formity with  all  lawful  instructions  I  may  receive,  and  will  make  due 
and  correct  returns  thereof  us  required  in  said  Act." 

"Ric'D.  H.  Tompkins." 

In  18(>4.  Mr.  Tompkins  married  Miss  Francisquita  Sandoval,  a 
hi<;hly  educated  young-  lady,  member  of  a  prominent  family  in  Santa 
Fe.  Seven  children,  six  dau<,'-hters  and  one  son,  were  horn  from  this 
marriage:  of  the  dauf^hters  four  have  become  nuns;  three  in  the  Order 
of  Loretto  and  one  as  a  Benedictine,  one  daughter  and  the  son  died 
young  and  unmarried  and  the  other  the  oldest,  married  in  Santa  F^, 
to  .Tose  L.  Delgado  now  dead.  Judge  Tompkins  occupied  other 
important  positions  such  as  Attorney  General  of  New  Mexico,  1858 
and  U.  S.  District  Attorney  the  same  year,  and  again  in  1860  re-ap- 
pointed Attorney  General  of  New  Mexico,  Territorail  Librarian  in 
1880.  Elected  Probate  Judge  and  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  and  for 
Santa  Fe  county  for  several  terms.  Judge  Tompkins  died  in  Santa 
Fe  on  the  14th  dav  of  January,  1888. 


"90  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO. 

R.  E.  Twitchell. 


U.  K.  Twite 

Mr.  Twitchell  was  born  at  Ann  Arbor,  Michii^an.  Nov.  2i),  1859. 
He  resides  at  Las  Veoas.  For  several  years  he  has  held  the  office  of 
District  Attorney.  Has  for  several  years  tilled  the  position  of  Attor- 
ney for  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Railway  (Jorapany.  Is  the 
author  of  several  important  works  on  New  Mexican  History. 


ILLUSTKATED   HISTORY    OF    NEW    MEXICO.  791 


lion.  Santiago  Valdez. 


Hon.  Santiago  Valdi^z. 


Hon.  Santiag-Q  Valdez,  born  at  Taos,  New  Mexico,  died  in  May,  1888, 
at  Taos.  Don  Santiago  was,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  greatest  men  in 
New  Mexico.  As  a  lawyer  he  was  the  peer  of  the  best  lawyers  of  his 
time.  As  an  orator  he  had  no  superior.  As  a  scholar  in  the  English, 
Latin  and  Spanish  languages,  he  was  inferior  to  none  of  those  who 
could  master  these  languages.  His  services  as  a  public  man  com- 
menced with  his  election  as  Probate  Clerk  of  Taos  county  in  18().'J. 
Probate  Judge  of  Mora  county.  Member  of  the  Legislature  as 
Senator  and  Representative  for  more  than  twenty  years.  Member  of 
the  Commission  that  Revised  the  Laws  of  New  Mexico  in  1884. 


792  ILLUSTRATED   HISTORY   OF   NEW    MEXICO, 

Paul  A.  F.  Walter. 


Paul  A.  F.  Walter. 

Paul  A.  F.  Walter.  President  New  Mexican  Printing  Company; 
editor  Daily  New  Mexican:  Supreme  Court  Reporter:  Secretary  New 
Meicico  Archaeological  Society.  Born  1873  in  Berlin,  Gei-many:  came 
to  United  States  in  1883:  Founder  and  Editor  South  Bethlehem,  Pa., 
Daily  Globe  1894;  Editor  and  Manager  Bangor  Daily  News;  Came  to 
Santa  F^  18!»9;  Postmaster  Santa  F^  1902  to  1909;  Admitted  to  Bar 
19(M);  Vice  f^resident  New  Mexico  Bar  Association  1908;  Supervisor  of 
Census  for  New  Mexico  1910. 


ALPHABETICAL  INDEX,  GHRONOLOGICAL,LY 
ARRANGED. 


A 

AJiec  Indians,  Empire  of  ..33-45 

Abori<^''enes.  History  of S'i-i'y 

America,  Discovery  of....  41)-57 

Alvarado,  Pedro  de 03-121 

Acosta  on  Orig-in  of  Indians.. 55 

Alvarez,  Jose  P (i8 

Arag-on.     Montejo     Antonio 

(cited  )    71 

Alcardz,  See  ''t'abeza  de  Vaca"" 

Asuncion,  Fr.  Juan  de 100 

Alarcon,  Hernando  de  123,  135-(d 
Alvarado,     Hernando     de     123. 

135-0 
Arellano,  Tristan  de  125.  128,  130 

Ag-uilar,  Capt  229 

Arguello,  F.  Gov 256-7 

Acoraa    Pueblo    and    Rock    136. 

225.  232.  674,  713 
Aleman,  Juan  (Indian  Gov.)  143 
Avila  y  Pacheco,  Gov. .  257 

Arvide,  Fr.  death  of 259,723-6 

Ayeta,  Fr 261 

Alonzo,  Fr.  274 

Alpuente.  Juan  de  Fr 296 

Arias,  Jos^ 301 

Anaya,  de  F 301 

Apache    Indians    306,    322,    508. 

()fi4,  684.  (j99 
Alhurquerque,  Founding-  of.  .322 

Archundi.   Fr  328 

Alay,  Juan  de 329 

Abiquiu 333 

ANZA,  GOV.— Battle  with  Coman- 
ches  and  death  of  "Cuerno 
Verde"  342;  Moqui  Indians 
surrender  to,  343:  Succeeded 
by  Gov.  Concha  344 
American  Merchants  349,  350. 
357,  3()() 

American  Armv 415 

ALENCASTER,  GOV.  Administra- 
tion of 350 

Alamosa,  Colo 350 

Allande,  P.  D.  Gov 3(51 

Abreu,  Santiago. ..  .361,  374,  (KK) 

Abreu,  Mariano 376 

Abreu,  Ramon . .  .37(i 

Alarid,  J.  M 376 

ARMIJO,  MANUEL  GOV.  361,  3(53,  380, 


.383-4,  .38(i.  388,  394,  ,399,  402, 
418 

Aponte,  Manuel  de 376 

American  Merchants,  Claim 

of .        389 

American  Commercial  ag-ency397 
Alvarez,    Manuel    .395,   401,    449, 
460,  4(i5,  486-7,  (iOO 

Archuleta,  Diego 445,  (503 

Austin 447 

Albert,  John 447 

Armijo,  Ambrosio 482 

Armijo,  Rafael    482 

Armijo.  Juan 483 

Armijo,  Cristoval 484 

Ag-riculture,  History  of.. 499,  502 

Arizona  503 

Abreu,  Francisco  P  508 

Apache  Caiion 507 

Asylums  531,560 

Alvarez,  Sebastian  Rev 538 

Archceolog-ical  School 588 

Alarid,  Jos^  Rafael 600-1 

Armijo,  Geo.  W 616 

Aubry,  Francis..        654 

Alonzo,  Don  (Indian)   Con- 
version of ...  694 

Ai.xaos  Nation 703 

Alexander  VI.  Pope,  Bull  of  710 

Agastan  Pueblo 711 

Arvisu,  Jose  de  Fr 723-6 

Avila  V  Avala,  Fr 723-6 

Avila.  HiUdeFr 723-6 

B 

BANCROFT,  51,    132,   164,   217,  220, 

246,  253,  506 
Bandelier,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  F..  70 

''Bigotes"' 125 

Barrionuevo 153 

Barrado  in  Mexico 174 

Bustamante,  Pedro  de 174 

Beltnin,  Bernardino  Fr 178 

Barrato,  Francisco 178 

Bonilla  and  Barbadillo 188 

Bonilla  and  Humaiia 190 

Barreiro  246,  247,   504,  5.34,  581, 

597 
Benavides,  Alonzo  Fr.  252-3,  532 

533-8,  563,  603,  656,  721-2 


'94 


INDEX. 


BUSTAMANTE,  GOV 327 

Baca,  M  iguel  A 352 

BACA,  BARTOLOME  353,  361,  3b3,  573, 

583 
Bent   Chas.   366:    (Bent's    Fort) 
406,  593:  Appointed  Governor 
of  New  Mexico  439;   Assas- 
sination of  446,  608 

Baca,  Ramon 387 

Brazito,  Battle  of 442 

Baubien,  Narcizo 446 

Blair,  Francis  P 439 

Blumner,  Charles  439 

Baubien,  Charles   (Carlos)  439, 
454 

Benton,  Thos.  H 453 

Baca,  Tomas  C.  D 462-3 

Baird.  S.  M 481 

Burtinett 483 

Boundaries 502-3 

Baca,  Saturnino 508 

Bourgade,  J.  B 139,  510,  555 

Beckx,  Rev 522 

Blanche,  Rafael  Rev.... 522,  530 

Baldassare,  Rafael  Rev 523 

Barry,  E.  Rev 528 

Bertolero,  G.  Rev 529 

Bueno,  F.  Rev 528 

Barbara,  Sister 544 

Botulph,  Brother 549,  553 

Becknell 571,592 

Benthane    573 

Banks  and  banking 586 

Bloom,  Lansing  Rev 604 

Baca,  E.  C.  de.  .(>08,  629,  630,  638 

Bursum,  H.  O 608 

Bar  Association 612 

Blue  Ballot 629 

Baca,  R.  L 610 

Brito,    Fabian,    on     Indian 

wars 645 

Beck,  Preston 654 

Beltnin,  Manuel  Fr 723-6 


(^oxcox.  Aztec  priest 33 

CORTES,  HERMAN 30-68,  116 

Cohuiihus,  Christopher 57 

Cc.rtes,  Capt 229 

Cordova 49 

CABEZA  DE  VACA,-Biography  of, 
70;  his  account  of  Narvaez's 
ex|)edition,  70-79;  Captures 
Apache  village,  77;  start  for 
Aute,  77;  goes  in  search  of 
sea  coast,  78;  conspiracy 
discovered,  78;  Spaniards 
embark  for  tlie  C.ulf,  79: 
( 'abe/.a   de   Vaca,    Dorantes 


Alonzo  del  Castillo  and  Este- 
vanico  survivors,  79;  Span- 
iards eat  flesh  of  their  dead 
companions;  Life  of  Cabeza 
de  Vaca  and  his  companions 
among  the  Indians,  81,  84; 
miraculous  cures,  81;  escape 
of  Cabeza  de  Vaca  and  his 
companions,  84:  their  jour- 
ney across  the  continent,  85; 
compelled  to  eat  dog  flesh, 
87;  crossing  of  Pecos  river, 
88;  Zufii  visited,  88;  meets  Al- 
cardz,  88,  89:  arrested  by  Ce- 
breros,  93:  Released  by  Diaz, 
94;  arrival  of  in  City  of  Mex- 
ico, 95;  makes  report  to  Men- 
doza,  95;  sails  for  Spain,  95; 
sent  as  Governor  to  S.  Amer- 
ica; goes  back  to  Spain  under 
arrest,  is  tried  and  found 
guilty,  appeals  to  the  King, 
is  vindicated  and  his  titles 
restored,  95,  96;  end  of  his 
life  discussed,  97 

Cibola  Country         114.711 

CORONADO'S  EXPEDITION,  122;  Pre- 
pares for  his  journey,  names 
his  subordinate  officers,  123; 
sends  Alai'con  to  South  Sea, 
123;  reaches  Composteia,  123; 
receives  report  of  Melehor 
Diaz  and  Juan  Zaldivar, 
124;  the  army  starts,  124; 
Captain  Lope  de  Saman- 
iego  wounded,  124;  Trujillo's 
vision,  125;  sermon  of  Fr. 
Niza,  125;  Fr.  Victoria  hurt, 
126;  Chichiliticalli,126:  reach- 
es Hawwiku  (Zufii),  enters 
pueblo  and  writes  to  Men- 
doza,  127;  name  Zufii  "City 
of  Granada,"  127;  disap- 
pointed, censures  Fr.  Niza, 
127;  Zufii  Indians  refuse  to 
surrender,  127;  battle  is 
fought,  pueblo  taken,  but 
Coronado  is  wounded.  127-8; 
waits  at  Zufii  for  rest  of  the 
army,  128;  arrival  of  the 
army,  133;  sends  de  T6var 
to  Tusayan,  123:  sends  Cdr- 
denas  to  discover  Colorado 
river,  135:  arrival  of  "Bigo- 
tes."  135;  sends  Alvarado  to 
verify  Bigote's  description 
of  new  jiueblos,  137;  cited, 
(note)  247;  Bigotes,  140; 
army  leaves  Zufii  for  Tigue:^t, 
142;  treats   Indians  cruelly, 


795 


14.5:  lij,>-lit  with  Tiyuex  In- 
dians, onleis  Carclenas  to 
kill  all  the  Indians,  Carde- 
nas hums  many  of  them 
alive.  1-IL'.  U;};  "death  of 
Ohando,  144;  orders  sie^e  of 
puehlo,  144-.  ti-ip  to  Cieuy^: 
report  of  Melchor  Diaz's 
journey  and  death,  145:  suh- 
mission  of  the  ''Queres"  and 
trip  to  the  Quivira,  14(5-14!): 
sends  army  hack  to  Ti<;uex 
and  discovers  the  Quivira, 
149-151:  other  provinces  are 
discovered,  l").'};  Coronado's 
return.  153-H:  Taos  (Braha) 
discovered,  l").};  makes  re- 
l)ort  to  Emperor.  15():  is 
hui't.  Itil:  sends  Cardenas  to 
Spain,  IHl:  Cardenas  re- 
turns. lt)2:  leaves  Fi-iars 
Juan  de  Padilla  and  Juan 
de  la  Cruz  (Escalona)  and 
Andres  del  Campo  in  New 
Mexico,  1h;J;  returns  to  Mex- 
ico, 1(33:  is  coldly  received 
by  Mendoza,  1()4. 
Cdrdenas,  Garcia  Lopez  de.  123. 

245. 
Castaneda,  123,  127,  133,  143,  1(51, 

247. 
Colorado    river,     discovery     of 
132.  135,  145,  245. 

Cicuy^    (Pecos) 137 

Campo,  Andres  del 1()3 

Chamuscado.  F.  Sanchez.  .173-74 

Castano.   de  Sosa  189-191 

Corchado.   Fr 219 

Claros,   Fr 219 

Cristoval,   Fr 219 

Cabreras,  Juan. ...    245 

Concha,  deGov 257 

Cruzat.   Gov 272-3,  328 

Corvero,  Fr 274-29(5 

(  arhonela,  A.  Fr  296 

Castro,  Munoz  de  Fr 29(5 

Corral,  de  Fr         29(5 

Contreras,   B.   Fr 29(5 

Chavez,  v    Duran  F ."JOl 

CUBERO,  DE  RODRIGUEZ  PEDRO  DE  GOV. 
217:  Galisteo  named  and  i"e- 
occupied  by  the  Tanos,  318: 
French  expedition.  318; 
names  pueblo  of  Queres  as 
"San  Jos^  de  la  Lajjfuna,'" 
318:  deserts  his  post,  .320:  is 
succeeded  bv  De  Vai-j^as,  .305 
CUERVO,  Y  VALDEZ  FRANCISCO  GOV. 
Arrival  of.  .LM;  sultiiiission 
of    Moqui  province,    .321:  at- 


tacked by  Apache  Indians, 
.322;  foundin<i-  of  .\ll)U(juer- 
que,  .322:  succeeded  by  Gov. 
Ciiacoii  Medina,  etc,  .■"{22. 
CHACON,  MEDINA  ETC.,  GOV.  Admin- 
istration of.  322:  isleta  re- 
settled. .122:  succeeded  by 
Moo-ollon,  ;!24. 
COSIO,  Y  VELARDE  ANTONIO,  .325:  pub- 
lic schools,  32(5;  arrival  of 
Judue  Estrada  y  Austria, 
.327:  the  jud^e  acts  as  {gov- 
ernor and  is  succeeded  by 
Bustamante,  327. 

CRESPO,   BISHOP  327 

COD  ALIOS,  Y  RABAL   GOV.  ..329 

CAPUCHIN,  VELLEZ  GOV.  .330;  Com- 
anche Indians  attack  Gal- 
isteo and  ( 'apuchin  fights 
and  routs  them,  330;  suc- 
ceeds Urrisola,  .331-2-3,  335,. 
342. 
Colorado,    Mines  discovery 

of 332 

Chama 333 

Church  and  Government 334 

■'(.^uerno  Verde,"   death  of.. 342 

CONCHA,  DEGOV 344 

CHACON,  FERNANDO  GOV.  345;  Nava- 
joe   war,    344:   succeeded  by 

Gov.  Alencaster 349 

Chavez,    Jose  A,    3.52,   361,   376, 
505,  601. 

Cooper 357,  571,  593 

Chavez,  Xavier  F.  Gov 361 

Chavez,    Mariano   Gov 361 

Chihuahua 363,   5(j5 

Clouthier,    J 366 

Carson,  Kit 366 

Crepusculo,  El 368 

Chimayo  Rebellion 370 

Candelario,  Jose 387 

Consulate,  establishment  of.. 395 

Chavez,  Antonio 405 

Cook,  John  Capt 406,  593 

Cabailero.  Esquipula 387 

Cook,  Capt 420.  573 

Chacon.    Capt.     Rafael,    431-.33. 
508,  603. 

Chihuahua,  battle  of 443 

Cavanaug-h,  murder  of 447 

Colver,  murder  of 447 

California,    historical  letter 

from 449 

California,    Gulf,   discovery 

of 132 

Convention,  to  form  govern- 
ment   454 

Convention,  government  or- 
ganized   455 


796 


INDEX. 


Constitutional  Conventions, 
see  "State  Govern- 
ment. ' ' 

Calhoun,  Gov 471,  481,  487-9 

Camhy,  R.    S.  Col 506 

Chavez,  Manuel   Col....  507-508 

Chavez,   Francisco  508.(513 

Churches,  Protestant  in  New 

Mexico 510,  513-14 

Chapelle,  P 131,  510,  511 

CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  present  organi- 
zation and  list  of  parish 
priests  in  the  year  1912,  512 
to  514,  528,  529. 
Catholic  institutions  of  learn- 
ing-, 513;  see  also  chapter  on 
•'Education." 

Coal .   mines  etc 517 

Casas  Grandes 521 

Caso,  Prisco 522 

Charitv,  Sisters  of 531 

Cordova,  J.  Rev 529 

Catherine  Connor,  Mother  . .  .544 

Christian  Brothers 545-555 

Counties 561,  606 

Census,  561,  563,  see  "Popu- 
lation" 
Commerce,  history  of  . . .  .563-583 

Caravans 573 

Corporations 585 

Catron,  T.  B 591,  642 

Carpenter,  A.  L 593 

C6rtes,  (Congress)  Delesrates 

to 599 

Chief  Justices 609,  636 

Convention,  State  Officers        624 
Canvassers.  Board  of... 626,  627 

Clancy.  F.  W   638 

Carrion,  Luisa  de  . .    700-1 

("alle,  Dios  J.  (Note) ..  ..715-722 

Cliff  Dwellings 340 

Casanas,  Jesus  Ma.  Fr 723-6 

Corver a,  Francisco  Fr 723-6 

Carbonelli,  J.  D.  Fr 723-6 

Chirino,  Pedro 715 

Coruna,  Count 717 

Culiacan 711 


Delegates  to  Congress,  456,  469, 

610 
Delegates   under    Mexican  Rule, 

5!)9-()04 
Delegates,     Const.     Conven- 
tion  616 

Dodge,  A.   L .      ,460 

Dorantes,  see  "Cabeza  de  Vaca" 
Diaz,  Melchor,  123,  124,  130,  132, 
1  ip;    on 


145,  244 


De  la  Torre,  Diego 120 

De  la  Cruz,  Juan  Fr 178 

Diaz  de  Vargas,  Francisco. .  .188 

De  Lomas  v  Colmenares ."188 

Davis.  Historian 236,  246 

DE  VARGAS,  DIEGO  DE-Firt  entry  of, 
(1612)  272-294;  second  entry 
of,  permanent  conquest,  in- 
troduction, 295-296:  Francis- 
can Fathers  list  of,  296; 
takes  final  possession  of 
Santa  Fe,  297;  pacification 
and  settlement  of  the  coun- 
try, wars  with  the  Indians 
and  full  history  of  his  con- 
quest of  New  Mexico  272-316; 
his  imprisonment  trial  and 
vindication,  316;  is  succeeded 
by  Governor  Cubero,  316;  is 
reappointed,  his  second 
administration,  317-320;  his 
last  will,  death  and  burial, 
320-322 

Diaz,  J.  D.  Fr 296 

De  Jesiis,  Juan  de  Fr 313 

Delgado,  Fr.  death  of 324 

Dominguez,  Fr 340 

Durango  and  New  Mexico,   363, 

568 
"Diputacion     Provincial'"     363, 

599,  604 
Doniphan,    Col.    see   "Inva- 
sion of  New  Mexico.'" 

Dalam,  Richard 439 

Dolores,  mission  of 520 

Domiciano,  Brother 549 

Deraches,  Jules  Rev 551,  589 

Doughertv,  G.  H.  Rev 552 

Defouri,  J.  H.  Rev.. 168,  555,  723 
Durango  "Diputacion"  ..  600 
Delgado,  Francisco  (note)... 625 


Estevanico,   see  "Cabeza  de 
Vaca"  and  "Niza" 

Escalona,  Juan  de  la  Cruz  Fr. 
163,  164,  223,  237-240,  246 

Escalante,  Fr 340 

ESPEJO,  ANTONIO  DE  entry  of,  178- 
179:  first  fight  with  Indians, 
180;  hears  of  Cabeza  de 
Vaca's  journey,  180;  reaches 
Zuni,  183;  discovers  mines, 
185:  visits  divers  provinces; 
sends  Fr.  Beltriin  back  to 
Mexico;  returns  to  Zufii  and 
finds  Fr.  Beltnin  who  had 
retraced  his  steps,  183-186; 
visits    Galisteo     and    starts 


INDEX. 


^97 


back  to  Mexico,  ISii;  g-ives 
New  Mexico  the  name  of 
"Nueva  Andalucia,"  1^*7: 
makes  etTorts  for  second 
journev  to  colonize  New- 
Mexico  but  fails,  18S 
Escanjaque  Indians,  battle  with 
236 

Escobar,  Rev 244-") 

Escudero,    Simon    M.     24(5,    57.'{, 

EDUCATION.    SCHOOLS    AND    COLLEGES 

history  of.  iilM:  I'ino,  Pedro 
LJautista's  plea  to  the  Span- 
ish Kin^i'.  354:  first  school 
law,  3(>(i;  Las  Ve^»-as  college. 
52(5-7;  first  i)arochial  school 
(Jesuit),  521t:  primitive  teach- 
ing-, 533:  private  school.  534, 
536:  brief  of  the  Holy  Father, 
534:  public  school  under  Mex- 
ican rule,  525;  first  public 
school  law,  (April,  1822), 
536;  second  jjublic  school 
law.  (March,  1823),  537: 
colleg-es  at  Taos  and  at 
Santa  Fe,  (in  1826).  5.37: 
contributions  to  pay  teach- 
ers: Ditto  appropriation  of 
public  funds.  538:  public 
schools  re-establishment  of. 
under  Mexican  rule,  5.38: 
Salary  of  Teacher  Alvarez 
fixed,  5.38:  Ortiz.  F.  donates 
school  house.  538:  Xavier 
Francisco,  Gov.  donates 
$10(M):  Report  on  discipline 
in  Colleg'e  at  Santa  Fe  (in 
1826),  538;  Message  of  Gov. 
Vig-il  asking-  for  establish- 
ment of  public  schools.  5.3!): 
Bishop  Lamy  establishes  1st. 
Eng-lish  school  (in  1851) 
541;  second  English  School 
(by  Mrs.  Howe  in  1852).  541: 
First  school  for  g-irls  (Sis- 
ters of  Loretto);  Establish- 
ment of  Convents  and  his- 
tory of  the  doing-s  of  said 
Sisters  in  N.  M.  542-545: 
Saint  Michael's  College,  its 
branches  and  its  history  and 
results  etc.,  545-5.">5;  Silver 
and  Golden  Jubilees  5.5()-.555: 
Monument  to  Brother  Bo- 
tulph.  553:  Parochial  schools 
555;  Public  School  system 
557:  Public  .School  otticials 
557-8:  Public  School  funds 
558-.59-()():  Sectarian  Schools. 


.V)!);  State  educational  insti- 
tutions, 55!),  5()();  Indian 
Schools.  560:  Hecajjitulation 
560:  Industrial  schools  in 
16.30,  See  appendix  first  (5(58: 
In  the  year  l(i.30,  673-705; 
Trades  taught  (in  1(530),  708. 

Edwards,  Brother 513,549 

Executive   Department.      .  .     608 
Estrado  y  Austria,  Judge... 327, 

Elizacoechea,  Bishop 328 

Emhudo 333,  447 

Escalante,  Fr 340 

Esquivel,  Juan  J.,  execution  of, 
338. 

Emory,  Lieut.  ( "ol 421.  429 

Eg-uillon,  Peter,  Rev 545-6 

Eikins,  S.  B <514 

Ervien,  R.  P 638 

Espeleta,  Jose,  Fr 723-6 


Fabian,  Bruno 38 

Fig-ueroa,  Suarez  de 123 

Fuensalida 174 

Frias,  Juan  de 178 

Farfan,  Capt.,  223,  229,  234,  304 

3()(>-7. 
Farfan,  Fr.,  see   "De  Vargas.'^ 

French ,  trade  with 327 

Foreigners,  in  New  Mexico,  329, 

350-7,  ,367. 

Famine 343 

Flon,   Gov 342 

Franciscans.  348,518-531,  723-726 

Fernandez,  Bartolom^ 352 

Fernandez,   Agustin  Fr.    363-537 

Forsy  th.   John 3!)6 

Fillmore         471 

Fede.    L.  Rev .528 

Fourchegu,    Antonio    Rev.    552, 

Fiske.   E.  A 613 

Flood,  resolution 620 

Fall,    A.    B   642 

Frejes.  Fr.  Hist,  of  New  Mexico, 

715-722. 
Factories 580 


(irijalva 49 

Gregg,  Josiah...52.  246,  573,  581 
Guzman,  Nufio  Beltran  de,  119, 
120. 

Guevara.  Pedro   de   123 

Gallegos,  Juan     .- 123 

Galleg-os.  Ilernan 174 

Governors 256,  .3(51,  (508-()09 


798 


Guzman,  Luis  de  Gov 257 

Garaechoechea,   Fr 321 

Galisteo 318,  330 

Garraez,   Jose 333 

Government,  forms  of... 341,  370 

Gorges,  Fr  344 

Garcia,  Pascual 352 

Garcia,   Miguel 352 

Glen 357,  570,  593 

Gonzales,   Jose  Gov. ..  .361,  377 

Gorrilla,  Miguel 431 

Gallegos.  Jos^  M 445 

Giddings.  J.  M 454 

Gleason,  soldier 483 

Greiner,  John 488,  496 

Gadsden,  Treaty  with  Mex.  ..496 

Grant,  General 'U.  S 496 

Glorieta,   battle  of 507-8 

Geronimo.  Apache  chief 508 

Gasparri,  Donato  M.  Rev..  522- 

530. 
Gentile,    Alovsius  M.  Rev.,  524- 

550. 

Giglio.   L.  M.  Rev 528 

Gilbert,  A .  Rev 529 

Gondulph,  Brother 547.  548 

Geramius,  Brother 547,549 

Galmier,  Brother 547 

Graysen,   J.  B   r>87 

Grants 595 

Government,   history  of 596-7 

Guitierrez,  Lorenzo 599 

Gorman         654 

Gonzales,  Vicente 704 


H 


Hueman,  Toltec  priest 39 

Haines 52,  53,  506 

Herrera 55.   174 

Hodge 6,  71 

Hernandez,  Gregorio 178 

Hernandez,   Juan 178 

Hernandez,  Pedro  de  Almon- 

sa 178 

Heredia,    Pedro  Rev 178 

Humana 190 

Heredia,  Cinstobal 191 

Hernandez,  Jos^ 387 

Howard,  murder  of 447 

Head,  murder  of 447 

Hendiey,  Capt 448 

Hidalgo,   Guadalupe   treaty 

of 448,  506,  595 

Houghton,   Joah 4,39 

Humboldt,  de  Baron  A... 55,  517 

Hosi)itals 531 

Hilarion,  Brother 547-8 

Hermes,  Brother 545) 

Hubbell,    F.  A ;552 


Historical  Society 587 

Hartman,  Julius  Rev.  6ia,  639-40 
miles,  Chas.  D 639 


Indians,    American .33 

Indigenes,    of  New    Mexico,   49, 

254,  661,  699. 

Ibarra 170-171 

Isleta,  re-settlement  of 322 

Inundation  of  Santa  Fe 334 

Iturbide .363 

Invasion    bv    American    Armv, 

415,  441." 

Industries 583 

Inauguration    of    State  Ofti- 

cers 638 

J 

Jusepe,  Indian 215,  236 

Jesus,    Maria  F.  Fr !  296 

Jorge,  A 301 

Jesus,   Juan  de  Fr 313 

Jesuits 327,  329.  518-530 

Jaramillo,  Pablo 446 

Jubilees 550-555 

Jaffa.  Nathan 585,608 

Justice,  administration  of.    597. 

605-6. 
Jemes  Nation       672-699 


KEARNY,  GEN.  S.  W.,  See  "Invasion 
of  New  Mexico  bv  American 
Army"  415-441,  4(33.  484.  486, 
(mentioned)  598,  608. 

Kit  Carson,  Col 508 

Kephardt,  W.  J.  Rev 513 

Kino,  Eusebio  Rev 519-522 

Kowald,    F.  X.  Rev   528 

Kansas  City 593 

Kansas  Citv   Journal 594 

Knox.  P.    C 635 


Lvel],  on  American  Indians.. 38 
LAMY,  J,  B.,  53,  90:  appointed 
apostolic  Vicar,  510;  conse- 
cration of,  510:  arrives  in 
Santa  Fe  and  is  met  with 
obstacles  from  Mexican 
priests:  goes  to  Durango, 
510-522:  opens  first  English 
school  for  l)oys,  541:  brings 
Sisters  and  opens  Loretto 
Academy,  542:  brings  Chris- 
tian Brothers,  54.5-8:  o])ens 
St.  Michael's  College,  548. 


INDKX. 


799 


Lopez,  Diej,'-o  de IL'.!.  TOO 

Lopez,  F.  Francisco.  171',  174, 
17r)-(>-7. 

Lopez,  de  Ibarra 178 

Lujan,  Dief>o  Perez   178 

Luna,  Bernardo  de 178 

Lug-o.  Fr 21M 

Lopez,  de  Mendizabal  (tov.   .2tu 

Letrado,  Fr 258,  72;}-() 

Lucero.  de  Godoy  J.  D .JOl 

Laj,'una.  i)uehlo  de 318 

Lorenzo.  San  founding-  of...o24 

Lalande,  J.  B 349,  570,  592 

Lejanza.  Martinez  deGov...3(il 

Lovato,  Benlura 406-7 

Lee.  Stephen  4l)(5-Lee,  'GenT  446 

Tjeitensdorfer,  Eug-ene 439 

Luna.  Kamon 454 

LANE,  W.  CARR,  GOV.,  Succeeds  Gre- 
iner;  Interesting-  message  to 
Legislature  488-493:  takes 
possession  of  Mexican  Ter- 
ritory: famous  i)roclamation 

of   ...493-96 

Lee,  General,    Surrender   of    to 

Gen.  Grant 496 

Loretto,  Sisters    of   513-14.    See 

''Education." 
Lamy,    Francisea  Mother. ..  .544 

Luna,  Solomon 643 

Laug-hlin.  N.  B 643 

Larrazolo,   O.  A 643 

Legislature,    presiding     officers 

of .455,464.610 

Live  stock  industry       504 

Livio,  Vigilante,  S.   J 522 

Lafon.  .T.  Rev 529 

Lujan.  Luis  Diaz  de 537 

Legislative  Department 608 

Lucero.  Antonio  (i09.  625,  6.30,  638 


M 


Maya  Indians ....  3.5-45 

Montezuma,  Emperor38,64,65,60 

Mexico  City,  founding  of 46 

Marina  ....  .64 

Mendoza,  Antonio  de,  See  'Niza" 

Fr. 
Marcos  de;  makes  contract  witli 

Alvarado  and  (Joronado.121 

Maldonado  Redrigo 123 

Manrique.  Alonzo  de  Lara.  .123 
Melgosa.  Pablo  de  ..123,  245 
Missions,   first    in    New    Mexico 

173.  328,  329. 
Missions  and  Missionaries,  518, 

531. 
Mines,  discovery  of  175,  185.223, 

337,  516,  518,  667,  673,  681,  699 


..188 
..191 
.  199 
..219 
224, 229 


Martin,  (^ristoval . . 

Morete,  Capt 

Monterey,  Viceroy. 

Miguel,  Fr 

Marquez,  Capt     . 

Mendizabal  (Jov.  See  "Lopez  de 

Mendi/.abal,    Gov 257 

Medrano.  .luan  de  Gov 257 

.Miranda,  Gov 257 

Mercurio,  Volante. 272 

Maria.  J.  Fr 296 

Madrid,  Roque    301 

Misquio,  Lazaro .301 

Mesa  Prieta,  first  battle  of. .  .305 
Mesa  Prieta,  second  battle  of  313 
MOGOLLON,  GOV.  Administration  of 
.324:  Battlevvith  Yuta  Indians 
324;    San  Lorenzo   founding 
of,    324:    Troubles    with    the 
Franciscans,  324;  Succeeded 
by  Gov.,  Martinez,  324;  His 
arrest,  325. 
MARTINEZ,  FELIX  GOV.  His  adminis- 
tration. 325:  Arrest  of  Mogo- 
llon.   325;   Goes    to    Mexico, 
leaving   Cosio   acting   Gov- 
ernor,   325:    War     with   the 
Indians.  325. 

MICHALENA  Y  OLAVIDE,  GOV., 327 

MENDOZA,  GOV 328,  331 

Marie,    Luis 329 

Martin  del  Valle,  Gov.  .330,  331 
MENDINUETA,  GOV.  Introduction  of, 
334;  Peace  with  the  Francis- 
cans. 334:  Treaty  with  the 
Comanche  Indians,  335;  Im- 
l)ortant  historical  account, 
3.56-340;  Succeeded  by  Anza, 
but  leaves  Trevol  acting,  342. 
Moqui  province,  surrender  of, 
321,  .543,  675. 

Morrison,  Wm 349 

Main^z,  Gov 350.  561 

Manrique,  Gov.,  Administration 
of,  351. 

Montoya,    Diego .351 

M  iera  v  Pacheco 352 

McKnight,  .357,  570,  592 

Melgares,  F.  Gov 361. .367 

Munoz,  P.  Gov 361 

Martinez,  de  Lejanza  M.  Gov.  361 
Mexican    government,    commen- 
cement of,  3(i.3. 

Maxwell,  L.  B 366 

Muller,  F .366 

Montoya,  .1.  F 380 

Madariaga,  Manuel 380 

Montoya,  D.,  execution  of. .  .388 
Montova,  Ant  ,  A.  execution  of, 

;{88'. 


800 


Miranda.    Guadalupe.   .398.  401, 

534. 

McDaniel,    John 405 

Martinez,  Antonio  J.,  Rev.  407, 

409,   446,   454,   536,    537,  538, 

597,  603. 

Martinez,  Francisco 387 

Marshall, 447 

MORA,  Invasions  of  the  Texans, 

406;  Murders    of    Americans 

at,  447;  Assault  of,  by  Capt. 

Hendlev    and    Capt.    Morin, 

448. 
Memorial    for    organization    of 

t;-overnment,  4.54. 
Mexicans,  repatriation  of  .456-8 

Monroe.    Gov   .    460 

Montoya,  Atanacio 483 

Mower,    Judge  484 

Manufactures,   .500,  580,  583 

Miles,  Gen.,  Nelson  A.,   ..    .508 

Methodist  Church  ,        513 

Marra.  Joseph  F..  Rev   .  .  520.30 

Montenarelli,  J.  N..  Rev 528 

Massa,  G.,  Rev....: 528 

Mandalari,  A.  M.,  Rev.  .529,  546 
Mag-dalena,  Hayden  Mother  542-3 
Machebeuef.  Bishop. .  .519,  546-7 

Museum  of  New  Mexico 588 

Mills,  Miss   Madeline 589 

Mills,  Gov  .  .  ,589,  608,  613 

McDonald,  W.  C.  Gov. 608.  629 

Martinez,  Malaquias   608,643 

Monroe,  John,  Gov 608 

Marshall's  celebration 613 

McFie,  J.  R ..627,636 

Marron,  O.  N 6,38 

Martinez,  Felix 643 

Moro,  Rock  of 651 

Manso  Nation 662 

Martvrs,  List  of 723,  726 

Miranda,  P.  Fr     723,  726 

Maria,  Juan  de  Jesus  Fr.  723,  726 
Moreno,  Antonio  Fr 723,  726 


N 


Narvaez,  Panfilo  de  64,  65,  71, 
715. 

NIZA,  FR.  MARCOS  DE,  100:  Instruc- 
tions to,  from  Mendoza,  101, 
104;  Starts  from  i.'uliacan, 
105;  Describes  parts  of  his 
journey  105  to  113;  His  ef- 
forts to  tind  the  South  Sea, 
113;  Continues  journey  to 
f'ibola,  114;Receives  news  of 
I]stevanico"s  death,  114; 
Iloacht's  Zufii  takes  posses- 
sion    of     the    country     and 


names  it  "New  Kigdom  of 
San  Francisco'"  and  returns 
to  Mexico,  115;  His  claim  of 
discovery  disputed  by  Cortes, 
116;  Appeals  to  Fr.  Antonio, 
for  proofs  of  his  right  and 
Fr.  Antonio  certifies  to  his 
claim,  117;  Accompanies 
Coronado  as  far  as  Zuiii,  is 
censured  and  comi^elled  to 
return,  127. 
NEW  MEXICO'S  NAME:  "New  King- 
dom of  San  Francisco,'"  115; 
Name  "New  Mexico'"  given 
by  Father  Ruiz,  171-177; 
Named  "Nueva  Andalucia"' 
by  Espejo,  187;  Consolida- 
tion of.  363;  Made  Territory 
363,  600;  Made  Department 
368;  Invasion  of  by  Ameri- 
can army,  and  annexation 
to  U.  S!  41,5-441;  Admitted 
into  Union  as  State,  632-6.36; 
Mentioned,  721. 

Nuiiez  Fr 274 

Narvaez,  J.  Fr 296,  328 

Navajoe  Indians,   348,  442,  501, 

508,  684,  699. 
Narbona.  A.  Gov.  361,  363,  504-5 
Newspaper,  first  in  New  Mexico 

(El    Crepusculo) 368 

Noves,  Murder  of       447 

Nicholson,  E.  G.  Rev 513 

Nelson  Resolution 620 

O 

Ordaz,    Diego  de 63 

Onorato  Fr. , 105-6 

Obando.  Francisco 123,  144 

ONATE,  DON  JUAN  DE,  First  con- 
quest, 193;  His  entry  196; 
Signs  contract.  197;  Prepares 
for  journey,  198;  Help  from 
his  relatives,  197;  King  an- 
nuls contract,  198;  Viceroy 
Monterey's  command,  199; 
Triumphs  over  his  enemies, 
202;  Start  of  expedition,  202; 
Takes  possession  of  New 
Mexico,  203-210;  List  of  col- 
onists, soldiers,  military 
officers  and  priests  211-212; 
Pueblo  of  San  Juan  reached 
and  named  "San  Juan  de 
los  Caballeros,"'  212-213; 
Drought  afflicts  Indians,  and 
prayers  bring  rain,  21.3-14; 
Learns  of  Quivira  through 
Jusepe    and    about    Bonilla 


INDEX. 


801 


and  Humana.  214-1"):  First 
colony  clist'ussed.L'lT;  Found- 
iniif  of.  lilS,  L'L'l:  Assii^ns 
priests  to  the  Fnehlos.  L'l!>: 
Api)oints  Villayri'i  to  Coun- 
L'ii  of  war,  '220;  N'isits  Indian 
Pueblos  to  find  site  to  locate 
theeai)ital.  L'lM:  Capital  near 
San  Juan  de  los  Caballeros, 
on  the  East  side  of  Kio 
Grande,  and  the  settlement 
is  first  named  '"SanGabrier" 
and  also  '"San  Francisco," 
221.  222;  Visit  of  inspection: 
Sends  Farfan  and  Quesada 
to  discover  mines,  222,  22.5: 
Attempts  discovery  of  South 
Sea,  22;{:  Leaves  Juan  Zal- 
divar  in  charge,  223:  Sends 
Vicente  Zaldivar  to  Gran 
Quivira  22:5:  Replaces  Juan 
Zaldivar  and  orders  him  to 
join  the  expedition  22.}: 
Scarcity  of  food  in  the  col- 
ony 22.}:  Death  of  Juan  Zal- 
divar. 225:  Abandons  trip  of 
South  Sea,  returns  to  San 
Gabriel,  calls  for  opinion  of 
the  priests:  War  is  declared, 
225,  228:  Expedition  aoainst 
the  Acomas,  battle,  defeat 
and  surrender.  228-232:  Asks 
for  aid  to  continue  opera- 
tions 233;  Sends  emissaries 
to  Mexico,  23-1:  Colonists 
disagree,  235;  Exposure  by 
the  Franciscans,  235;  Jour- 
ney to  the  Quivira  and  battle 
with  the  Indians,  23(i: 
Charges  made  by  Father  Es- 
calona,  237,  240;  Ditto  by 
Father  de  San  Mig-uel.  240- 
242:  Royal  decree.  243:  Visits 
the  South  Sea  and  end  of 
his  Administration.  244; 
Succeeded  bv  Peralta. 
OTERMIN,  ANTONIO'  DE  GOV,,.  .25(>, 
257:  His  exi)ulsion  and  his- 
tory of  the  revolt  (1<)80)  2(i3; 
Uprising  headed  by  Pope, 
2t)2:  Assault  of  Santa  F^: 
Heroism  of  the  Spaniards: 
Siege  of  the  City:  Otermin  is 
wounded:  His  departure 
from  Santa  Fe,  2tU:  History 
of  the  uprising,  battles  and 
departure  of  tlie  Spaniards, 
taken  from  ( )termin"s  Report, 
2<)7-271:  His  second  entry, 
272:  Mentioned,  723-(>. 


Obregon,  A.  Fr 29H 

Ojo  Caliente .333 

Oraive,  Province .343 

( )rtiz,  Antonio .351 

Ortiz,  Juan  R .5,52.  3»il 

Olona,    Miguel 380 

Ortiz,  y  D.  Francisco 413 

( )rtiz,    Tomas 445 

Otero.   Antonio  Jos^ 4.39,  478 

Otero,  M.  A.  Sr 496 

Ortiz,  Ramon  Curd 456,  458 

Ortiz,  Cjindido 481 

Orphanages,  etc 531 

Ortiz,  Juan  Felipe  Rev.  .538,  603 

Ortiz,    Francisco 538 

Obregon,  Pablo 593 

Ode,  to  New  Mexico 639 

Ontiveros,  Juan  D 717 

P 

Prehistoric  times 22 

Prescott,  Wm.   H 36 

Prince,  L.  B.  52,  53,  132,  133,  236, 
246,  514,  559,  587,  589,  623 
Pecos,  Pueblo  of.  See  "Cicuyd" 
also  670;  Pecos  Church  (in 
1630, )  713. 
Padilla,  Juan  de  Fr.  163,  164, 
165,  247,  723. 

Petatlan.  Ir'ueblo  of 106 

Pinero,  Capt 234 

Pop(5,    Indian  rebel   262 

Peinado,    Father 249 

Poras,  Fr         258,  723-6 

Prieto,  G.  Fr  296 

Posadas.  Rev .        . .  236,  246,  248 

PERALTA,  PEDRO  GOV., 246,  249 

I'ueblo  Indians,  See  "Indians'' 
and  "Indegenes"'  also  67.3- 
705. 
Pacheco,  de  Heredia  Gov  . .  257 
PENALOZA,  DIEGO  DE  GOV.,  257  Ad- 
ministration of. 2.'>9:  Removed 
and  punished  260;  His 
Treachery.  260. 

Priests,  Assignment  of, 314 

Peiia,   Juan  de  la  Fr .323 

Pena.    Mariano .353 

Pefiuela,   Marqu«?z  de 321 

Plata,  River .332 

Pursley,  .Tames....  350,  5!)2 

Pike,    Zebulon 350,  570,  592 

PINO,  PEDRO  B.  246:  Election  of, 
.351:  His  Address  and  History 
before  the  King  and  Cortes 
.352,  353-360;  on  New  Mexico 
industries,  499-502,  515-516, 
534,  563,  596. 
Pino,   Jos«5 351.  .352 


802 


INDEX. 


Pino.  Manuel  de 387 

Pino,  Nicolas 414 

PEREI,  ALBINO  GOV.,  3(il:  his  inaugu- 
ration and  address,  3<i8,  370: 
rebellion  ag-ainst  his  gov- 
ernment, 371  et  seq:  pro- 
claims tax  law,  373:  defeated 
by  rebels,  .375:  death  of,  376. 

Pedraza,  president 365 

Provincial  deputation   366 

Price,  Sterling- Col.  See  "'Inva- 
sion of  New  Mexico,"  415, 
448;  acts  as  governor,  etc.. 
4.53,  508. 

Praet,  murder  of 447 

Perea,  .Tuan 454 

Pley,   Jose         454 

Political  parties,  first 459 

Political  corruption 470 

Pitaval.  J.  B..  141,  510.511,  551, 
552,  633,  638. 

Pueblos,   mentioned 514,  516 

Parto,  Bernardo  Fr .520 

Pinadero.  Bernardo  520 

Pinto,  Chas.  M.  Rev 522-30-5 

Persone,  A.  S.  Rev 528 

Perea,  Lucia  mother  544 

Pope,  His   Holiness 534 

Phillip,   Brother 547 

Padilla,  Camilo 552 

Parochial  schools 555 

Penal  institutions 560 

Population 561,  563 

Property   values 586 

Press,  the 587 

Pelham 595 

Provincia  Interina 599 

P^i-ez,    Francisco    Serrano 

Ag-uirre 599 

Perez,  Demetrio,  368-70,  603,  654 

Political  department 606 

Puerto  de  Luna         645 

Palacio,  Vicente Rivas  Gen., 
648-651. 

Piros  Province 668 

Perea,  Estevan  Fr 700 

I'icuris  nation  673 

I'uaray  pueblo 712 

Q 

guetzalcoath 41-43 

<,)uivira   ..   140.  236.  251,  703,  714 

<Jiu  sada,   Capt 223 

<juint:ina,  Teodocio 387 

(^uintana,  Nicolas,  431-.36,  508, 
539. 

♦  Juinn.  James 454 

•  Juinn.  Miss 590 

<Jinn>s  natiop (i(iS 


Rodriguez,  Emilio "...44 

Ramires,  de  Vargas  Luis 12^3 

Ramirez,  Manuel 387 

Rodrigues,  (Ruiz)Fr.  Agustin, 
171,    174-5-6.    533,  716,  723. 

Romero,   Captain 229 

Rosas,  Luis  Gov   256,  259 

Reneros,   de  Posada    Pedro 

de  Gov 273 

Ruiz,   J 301 

Rael,  de  Aguilar  A   301 

Rivera,  Juan  MaCajJt.,  dis- 
covers mines  in  Colora- 
do     332 

Roubidoux,  Charles 366 

Rights,  bill   of  439 

Rebellion 445 

Rol)idoux,  letter  from 449-452 

Rosentein,  publicly  whipped,  479 

Reynolds,  Captain 483 

Railroad,  first  survev  of,  496: 
first  built.  583. 

Reed,  W.  H.  Rev 510 

Remedios  de,  Nuestra   Sra., 

mission  of  520 

Rossi,  A.  M.  Rev 526 

Revista  Catolica 526 

Roy,  A.  Rev         528 

Rascon,  Juan  Rafael  Vicar,  534 

Rosina,  Sister  Superior  544 

Riley,   Col....  573,  593,  612 

Read,  Benjamin  M,    (Author  of 

this  work),  592,  612,  613. 

Rivas,   Francisco     599 

Rado.  Manuel  de  Jesus 601 

Roberts,  C.  J 627,  636 

Rites  of  the  Indians,   49-57,   678 
Religious,  occupation  of  (in 
1630) 708 

S 

Salpointe.  J.  B.,  .52,  55,  129,  236, 
246,  510,  550,  555. 

Suarez,   Victoriana 71 

Silicia,   Francisco 71 

Samaniego,  Lope  de .    123 

Soto  Mayoi'.  Juan  de  ..123 

SANTA  FE, "foundation  of:  discov- 
ered. 1()8;  date  of  founding 
fixed  by  Posadas,  246:  men- 
tioned again,  247;  assault 
and  siege  of  by  rebellious 
Indians,  (1680)  264:  taken  by 
De  Vargas,  276-9;  retaken  of 
(first  time  in  1693),  297:  ter- 
rific battle  and  final  taking 
of,  by  De  Vargas,  .302;  foun- 


INDKX. 


803 


dation  of,  .{.'{4;  possession  of. 
taken  In  Aiiu'rican  ai-my. 
41»i,  4.{7: "taken  by  Confeder- 
ates, olM);  Santa  F^  Trail, 
5«i."{,  57"),  aSH:  faetories  in. 
580;  end  oi  Santa  Fe  Trail, 
58i>;  Santa  F^  (in  Ki.U)),  (iTO. 
Santa  Maria,  Fr.  Juan  de.  172, 
175,  17t). 

Sanche/,  Jose 174 

Sanchez,  de  riiavez,  Pedro.. 174 

Sani'hez.   Cristoval 17S 

Sanchez,   Valenciano   17S 

Sanchez,  Larazo 17S 

Sanchez,  Mijj-uel 178 

San  .Iiian  de  los  ('al)allert)s,  '212, 
2U. 

San  (Jahriel 222,  7111 

San  Fi-ancisco 22 

San  Migfuel,  F.  de  Rev.. 240,  242 

Shea,  historian 24() 

Silva,  Manuel  Gov 252,  25(i 

Salmeron,     Zarate      Geron- 

imo  Fr 252 

Santander,  Juan  Fr 253,  656 

Samanieg-o,  Gov 257 

Spaniards,  expulsion  of 262 

San  Antonio,    Salvador  de. 

Fr 2f)6 

Santa  Cruz,  resettling-  of,  315,  333 

Serna,  Captaic 324 

Schools  and  colleg'es:  see  "Edu- 
cation." 

Salt  Lake,  discovery  of 340 

Silva,  Juan  Jose   353,  387 

Sarracino,  F  361,  454 

Spanish  government,  end  of,  363 

St.  Vrain,  Ceran 366-47 

Santa  Cruz,  battle  of 375,  447 

Saenz 376,   454 

Salazar,  Jos^ 380 

Salazar,  Pablo 380 

Snively,  (Colonel 406 

Sandoval,   Anastacio 414 

Scolly,  John 411-414 

Sacramento,  Rancho,   battle  of, 
443. 

Senators  to  Mexico 443,  444, 

602:  To  U.S.  Senate,  642. 

Smith,  Hugh  C 456 

Slavery  in  New  Mexico 470 

Scoundrelism  in  New  Mexico, 471 
State  government,    See    "State- 
hood." 613.  645. 

Skinner,  killing-  of 484 

Sibley,  Gen 507 

Slough,  Col 507 

Spain.  War   with 50i» 

St.     Catharines',     School     See, 
"Education." 


St.  .\nthony"s  Sanatorium.  .  .513 
Salvatierra.  Jose  Ma.,  Fr. 520-22 
Sun  Ignacio,  Mission  of  .  .    .520 

San  Jos^,  Mission  of .'J20 

San  Javier,  del   liac 521 

Santa  Clara,   mound 521 

Schimp,  J.   R.    Kev         528 

Sisters  of  Loretto,  History  of, 
in  New  Mexico  etc.,  (See 
"Education,"'  542,545. 

Silva,  Flavio 553 

Statistics  (from  1820  to  1832)  851 

Satford,  C.   V 585 

Sui-veyor  General's  office 595 

Seligman,  A.  Mayor 590 

Sarracino,  Rafael   General.. 601 

SherilTs         606 

Secretaries  of  the  Territory,  list 
of  609. 

Supreme  Court (i29,  636 

Spring-er,  Frank 613 

Spiess,  C.  A 616 

State  officials,  list  of  629 

Sarg-ent,  W.  G 638 

Sevilleta,  Founding-    of 666 

Smith  resolution     622 

Soil,  fertility  of,  (in  1630)... 682 

Seiiora  Valley 711 

Saraoz,  Doming-o,  Fr  ....   723-() 

Sinaloa 711 

Sketches  of  individuals 727 


Toltec.  Indians,    .33.    41,   43,   44, 

47,  64. 
TORQUENIADA,   on  the    Indians     of 
New  Mexico,  55:  On  death  of 
Fr.    Rodrig-uez.     Fr.    Lopez 
and  Fr.  Juan  de    Santa 

Maria 177.  218 

Tovar,  Pedro  de 123.  134 

Tusayan,    province  of,  133,  723-6 

"Turco,'' Indian 137 

Tiguex,  location  of.  248,  712,  668 

Tutahaco,  jjrovince  of 138 

Twitchell,  R.  E 217,218,  220 

Tupatii,  Indian  Gov.'. 279 

Telles,  Giron  R 301 

Tamaron,  Bishop .331 

Taos 153,  331,   (572,  673 

Trevol,  Gov 342 

Tafoya,  Mig-uel .351 

Tax  iaw,  tirst  in  New  Mexico. 373 

Tom^ 378 

Texan  Invasions 397,  407 

Tapia,    Rafael 387 

Turlev,  Simon 447 

Turbush,    Hatfield 447 

Tolque 447 


804 


INDEX. 


Taos  Pueblo,  battle  of..  .447,  448 
Territorial    and    State    govern- 
ments 455-ti,  4(33;  New  Mexico 
erected  as  a  State  tjUO. 

Topography 502-3. 

Tommasini^  P.    Rev 528-9 

Tommasini,  F.  X.  Rev 529 

Teachers,  Salaries  of,  under 

Mexican  rule —  535-538 

Trail,  Santa  Fe 589 

Territorial  Deputation 597 

Taft,  President  (il5,iil7-618,623,G35 

Tioas  (Tiguex)  Nation .668 

Tompiros  Nation  (Chilili) . .  .669 
Tanos  (Galisteo)    Nation  ...670 

Temperature  ( in  1030 ) 648 

Trujillo,  Jose  Fr 723-6 

U 

Urrea,  Lope  de 123 

Ugarte,   Gqv 257 

Uprising  of  Indians     .    262 

Uprisings  under  De  Vargas,  304, 
315. 

Urrisola,  Gov 328,  331 

U.  S.  Commercial  Agency  ..  397 
Urdinola   188,  719 

V 

Vera  Cruz  founded  by  Cortes,  64 
Vaca,  Alvar   Nunez  Cabeza 

de.  See  "Cabeza  de  Vaca" 

Victoria,  Antonio   Fr 126 

Villagrcl,  191-194-201,  203,214-15, 

217,  220,  224,  229-232. 

Velarde,    Capt 229 

Velasco,  Father 236 

Vergara,  Father 236 

Ventacur,  Historian 2-16 

Villa  Nueva,  F.  de  Gov 257 

Vargas  De 272  et,  seq. 

Vohomondo,  A.    Fr 296 

Valverde,  Fr 296 

Varela',    Diego ,301 

Velarde,   Antonio 301 

Vald^z  y  Cuervo,  Gov 321 

Velarde  y  Cosio.  Gov   325 

Vellez.  Capuchin    Gov 330 

Vergara,  Sanchez  Ignacio. .  .253 

Viscarra.  A.  Gov 361 

Vigil,  Hautista  J.  B.    Gov.. 361, 

4.50-1,  ()()(). 

Vigil,  Antonio 384 

Vigil,  .luan,  Kxecution  of. . .  .388 
Vigil.  Donaciano 439,  453-4, 

45t)-S.  4(il,  .539,  608. 

Vigil,  (ii-egorio 454 

Vezza,  Rafael     522 

Valvrrdc,    Paz f)25 


W 

War  with  Acomas ;225,  232 

War  with  Navajoes.    ...344,348 

Webster,   Daniel 399 

Warfield 406 

War  with  Mexico 415,  143 

Waldo,  Murder  of 447 

Washington,  Col.   J.  M 453 

West,  E.   P 454,  455 

Whiting,  D.  B 467 

Weightman,  R.  H 469,  654 

Welsh,  soldier 483 

Walker,  Capt 483 

Woolen,  Manufactures  of.. 500-1 

War,  Civil 506-7 

War  with  Apaches 508 

War  with  Spain .509 

Walter,  James  Brother 459 

Wilson  573 

Wagons,  First  used 582 

Wagon  Route 590 

Williams,  Walter  D 590 

Williams,  Moss 590 

Watson,  Col 593 

Washington,  J.  M 608 

White,  N.  A 638 

Williams,  H.  H  638 

X 

Xochitl  of  Tulan  or  Tolan ....  42 
Xavier,    Chavez  Fr.,    Gov.    361, 

367,  538 
Xumana  nation 703 

Y 

Yucatan,  discovery  of 49 

Ye,  Juan 301 

Yuta  Indians 324 

Z 

Zuiii,     see    "Cabeza    de    Vaca"' 

also    "Niza'"    also    "Coro- 

nado"',  also  "Espejo'",  also 

(i75 

Z^ldivar,  Juan,  123,  223,  224,  225 

Zaldivar,  Cristoval 198 

Zaldivar.  Francisco 198 

Zdldivar;  Vicente,  198,  223,  228, 
232,  2.34 

Zamora,  Fr 219 

Zubia,  C 'apt 229 

Zotvlo,  Felipe,  Gov....  252,  256 

VA-A.  battle  of    273 

Zaboleta,  Fr 296 

Zenos.  D.  Fr 296 

Zubiria,  Bishop 368 

Zaguirre.  M.  I.  Rev 528 


Unsolicited  Opinions  iind  Press  Comments. 

iTi-anslaU'd  fit)in  tlic  Spanish.) 
Mr.  Benjamin  M.  Read. 

My  Esteemed  Sir:— I  have  derived  much  pleasure  from 
the  perusal  of  your  book  entitled,  "Illustrated  History  of 
New  Mexico,"  and  on  cominy  to  the  end  of  it,  I  must  not 
fail  to  cong-ratulate  you  for  havin"-  undertai<en  such  a 
laborious  task  and  for  having  l)rought  it  to  such  a  happy 
conclusion. 

This  work  extending-  from  prehistoric  times  to  our 
current  year,  is  amply  enriched  by  documents:  and  you 
narrate  occurrences  from  original  resources  many  of  which 
were  not  even  known  by  those  who,  up  to  this  time,  have 
made  a  study  of  the  history  of  our  region.  In  this  respect 
no  one  can  question  your  superiority. 

Some  historians,  while  narrating  past  events,  give  some 
facts  and  distort  others,  suiting  them  to  their  likes  or  their 
dislikes:  their  work  migtit  be  called  romances  rather  than 
histories,  their  writings,  to  quote  the  expression  of  Leo 
XIII,  are  a  conspiracy  against  the  truth.  But  you  have 
only  been  guided  by  the  dictates  of  your  sober  judgment 
and  of  your  good  conscience. 

Furthermore.  I  am  pleased  to  see  that,  in  your  history, 
what  the  Catholic  church  has  done  for  civilization  in  New 
Mexico,  has  not  been  banished  to  the  sliade  but  is  pro- 
minently brought  to  light:  in  this  you  have  but  performed 
an  act  of  justice. 

In  detailing  in  your  masterly  way  the  noteworthy  events 
of  which  oar  land  has  been  the  scene,  you  have  reared  up 
a  splendid  monument,  fairer  and  more  durable  than  granite 
shafts-  a  monument  that  will  be  an  honor  to  New  Mexico 
as  well  as  to  its  author. 

1  sincerely  wish  for  your  work,  so  elegantly  edited  and 
so    amj)ly  illustrated    the    broad    circulation    which    it   so 

richlv  deserves. 

.TUAN  B.  PITAVAL, 
Archbishop  of  Santa  Fe. 

J\  mm  lUortb  UIDile. 

(From  the  New  Mexican,  June  7,  1911.) 

There  has  been  an  insistent  and  persistent  demand  for  a 

history  of  New  Mexico  that  is  written  from  the  standpoint  of 

today  in  the  light  of  all  the  historical  facts  available.  Such  a 

805 


work  finally,  has  come  from  the  press  and  is  the  production 
of  Hon.  B.  M.  Read.  It  is  more  extended  in  scope,  more 
scholarly  in  execution,  more  thorough  in  research  than  the 
average  state  history  and  for  New  Mexico  establishes  a 
new  authority  that  will  be  considered  final  up  to  this  time. " 
The  New  Mexican  has  reviewed  this  work  at  length  before 
this  and  takes  especial  pride  in  its  beautiful  typograhy 
and  the  strength  of  its  illustrations  having  been  printed  in 
its  office.  With  pleasure  it  reprints  the  following  criticism 
of  Ex-Governor  L.  Bradford  Prince,  President  of  the  New 
Mexico  Historical  Society,  and  himself  the  author  of  a 
History  of  New  Mexico,  that  at  the  time  of  its  publica- 
tion was  the  standard  history  of  this  commonwealth  and  is 
even  at  this  day  much  sought  by  libraries,  scholars  and 
the  literati:  

Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  June  3,  1911. 
Hon.  Benjamin  M.  Read. 

My  Dear  Sir:— I  have  been  reading  with  much  interest 
your  "'Historia  Ilustrada  de  Nuevo  Mexico,"'  and  wish  to 
congratulate  you  very  heartily  on  that  monumental  work, 
I  use  the  word  ''monumental"  advisedly  because  through 
coming  generations  this  important  volumn  will  stand  as  a 
monument  to  your  ability,  industry,  fairness  and  good 
judgment. 

Taken  altogether  it  forms  the  first  complete  history  of 
the  territory  that  has  been  published  containing  many 
matters  of  interest  which  were  not  available  when  previous 
authors  wrote  on  the  subject.  It  is  only  recently,  that 
many  of  the  documents  from  which  you  have  drawn 
valuable  information,  were  accessible,  and  the  energy  with 
which  you  have  pursued  every  authentic  source  of  historical 
material,  in  Europe  as  well  as  America  is  worthy  of  all 
praise. 

I  consider  the  acquisition  of  the  speech  made  by  Don 
Pedro  Bautista  Pino,  while  representing  New  Mexico  in  the 
Congreso  de  las  Espanas,  November  20,  1812.  as  a  specially 
brillant  achievement;  and  the  oinginal  manuscript  possessed 
by  Manuel  Alvarez,  sheds  new  light  on  the  era  of  American 
occupation. 

The  insertion  of  the  entire  report  of  Fray  Benavides,  the 
''Relacion''  of  Padre  Frejes  and  other  documents  of  rare 
historical  importance,  in  the  Appendix,  add  greatly  to  the 
value  of  the  work. 

If  I  may  particularize  the  characteristic  which  especially 
distinguishes  this  important  history,  it  is  the  absolute 
regard  for  truth  and  the  courage  in  expressing  it,  which 
are  very  noticeable  features.  All  the  value  of  a  history 
comes  from  its  perfect  honesty;  and  no  one  can  read  your 
8()6 


"Historia"'  without  being-  struck  by  the  extreme  care  you 
have  given  to  accuracy,  and  your  fearlessness  in  stating- 
facts  even  when  they  overtlu-ow  tlie  cherished  ideas  and 
traditions. 

I  luivi'  no  doubt  that  \ou  will  receive  the  heartly  thanks 
of  all  g-ood  New  Mexicans  for  this  T^abor  of  I^ove  to  whicli 
you  have  devoted  so  much  time  and  ability,  thanks  whicli 
are  certainly  most  justly  due. 

Very  truly  yours, 

L.  BRADFORD  PRINCE, 
President  New  Mexico  Historical  Societv. 


Hon.  Antonio  Lucero.  Editor  of  La  Vo/.  del  Pueblo,  Las 
Veg-as,  N.  M. 

"I  notice  with  pleasure  that  the  sale  of  your  valuable 
history  has  been  more  wide-spread  than  you  have  antici- 
l)ated.  I  have  read  with  much  delight  and  satisfaction  all 
that  is  contained  in  your  volume  and  have  remarked  at  its 
conclusion  tiiat  I  wish  it  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  every 
Spanish-American  family  both  in  New  Mexico  and  southern 
Colorado,  that  our  people  might  learn  more  about  the 
history  of  their  ancestors  and  feel  justly  proud  of  their 
achievements."' 

1  am  yours  very  truly, 

ANTONIO  LrCERO. 


Ex-Chief  Justice  E.  V.  Long. 

"I  congratulate  you  on  this  historical  labor  of  love.  I 
do  not  believe  it  will  be  one  of  profit.  However  you  have 
done  something  for  your  day  and  generation  of  which  you 
and  your  descendants  may  always  feel  proud." 


Letter  from  Historian  R.  E.  Twitchell. 

"I  think  it  a  most  creditable  work  and  one  that  reflects 
great  credit  upon  you.  I  assure  you  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
know  that  some  man  born  in  the  country  has  patriotism 
enough  to  undertake  what  you  have  undertaken  and 
produced."  

From  John  E.  Griffith,  Attorney  at  Law. 

''I  have  recently  received  a  circular  in  regard  to  your 
history  of  New  Mexico  to  be  published  in  English.  I  have 
heard  many  compliments  upon  the  Sjjanish  edition  and 
part  of  the  same  has  been  translated  to  me.  I  am 
thoroughly  convinced  that  it  is  a  great  and  useful  work, 
and  1  want  to  congratidate  you  on  your  enterprise,  industry 
and  intelligence  in  preparing  same.  I  surely  want  a  copy 
of  the  English  edition." 

807 


Hon.  Isidore  Armijo,  Editor  of  El  Eco  del  Valle,  Las 
Cruces,  N.  M.,  and  member  of  the  constitutional  convention. 

'•I  frankly  l)elieve  that  no  private  or  public  library  can 
be  complete  without  having  on  its  table  the  "Illustrated" 
History  of  New  Mexico" "  by  Bemjamin  M.  Read,  a  rare 
literary  gem  that  beams  with  all  that  is  rich  and  splendid 
in  the  history  of  our  romantic  New  Mexico." 


Hon.  Aurelio  Espinosa,  Professor  of  Languages,  Stan- 
ford University,  California,  and  author  and  writer  of 
renown: 

Stanford  University,  Calif.,  July  15,  1911. 
Hon.  Benjamin  M.  Read, 

Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico. 

Dear  Sir: — Your  "Illustrated  History  of  New  Mexico" 
is  a  work  of  great  importance  and  would  do  honor  to  many 
a  famous  historian.  Your  work  deserves  a  thousand 
eulogies,  not  only  on  account  of  the  sound  criticism  and 
erudite  exposition  of  the  capital  points  of  the  history  of 
New  Mexico  but  also  on  account  of  the  great  and  merited 
value  and  weight  (unnoticed  by  others)  which  you  give 
our  race  in  the  conquest,  colonization  and  social  organiza- 
tion ot  the  Territory.  The  excellent  historical  discernment 
seen  in  each  page  is  worthy  of  all  praise.  The  chapters 
treating  of  the  iiistorical  events  of  New  Nexico  from  1846 
to  the  present  time  or,  the  whole  of  book  fourth,  is  the 
place  where  you  disclose  truths  and  facts  (well  authenti- 
cated an  proved )  that  ought  to  put  the  enemies  of  our  race 
and  our  people  to  shame.  I  have  been  astonished  with  the 
great  amount  of  matter  your  history  contains,  and  doubtless 
it  has  cost  you  a  good  deal  of  money  and  labor.  The 
people  of  New  Mexico  owe  you  a  marked  favor  which  you 
have  undoubtedly  deserved.  In  conclusion,  I  must  again 
congratulate  you,  and  my  ardent  wish  is  that  you  keep  on  in 
your  studies  for  the  honor  and  benefit  of  the  New  Mexican 
people." 

Yours  truly, 
AURELIO  ESPINOSA. 


Fathc'i'  Tommasini,  S.  J. 

(Translation. ) 
Mr.  B.  M.  Read, 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 
Very  Esteemed  Friend:— For  many  years  back  I  have 
aj)preciated  the  ertorts  that  you  were  making  to  raise  from 
the  obscurities  of  the  times  the  brightness  of  the  natives  of 
New  Mexico.  Now,  when  after  elaborate  studies  you  have 
given  us  a  complete  work  of  "Historia   Ilustrada  deNuevo 


Mexico,"  (Illustrated  History  of  New  Mexico)  1  take  this 
opportunity  of  olTeriny-  you  my  conf,''ratulations,  and  to 
rrmit  tiie  sum  of  $10. 00  for  tiie  cojiy  1  received  from  tlie 
lumds  of  Father  Mandalari. 

Please  receive  my  <^-ood    wishes,  and    I    pray  to    (iod  to 
^"•rant  you  long-  years    and  health    for    the    prosecution    of 
your  works  and  to  have  <fOod  success  with  them. 
Your  affectionate  friend, 

1'.  TOMMASINI,  S.  J. 


tribute  from  Spain  for  Read's  1)i$tory. 

Siifnilicant  letter  that  shows  fame  of  New  Mexico  author 
to  extend  beyond  ocean. 

What  is  thoug-ht  in  Spain  about  the  works  of  Historian 
Benjamin  M.  Head,  whose  Eng-lish  version  of  his  Hlustrated 
History  of  New  Mexico  is  now  in  the  press  of  the  New 
Mexican,  is  gathered  from  the  following-  fine  acknowledg- 
ment of  Professor  Antonio  Arag-on  Montejo  of  Madrid, 
who  was  the  first  literary  ag-ent  of  Mr.  Read  in  Europe, 
l)eing-  succeeded  by  Francisco  Sicilia,  LL.  D.,  of  Madrid, 
corroborating-  the  statements  as  to  the  untiring-  efforts  and 
expense  of  Mr.  Read,  in  order  to  furnish  the  new  State  in 
particular,  and  the  world  in  g-eneral,  with  an  authentic, 
correct  and  true  history  of  the  g-lorious  deeds  of  the 
ancestors  of  the  Spanish-American  people,  the  intrepid 
Conquistadores.  Don  Antonio  Aragon  writes: 
(Translation. ) 

Madrid,  December  1!).  15)11. 
Mr.  Benjamin  M.  Read, 

Santa  Fe.  N.  M. 

Dear  Sir: — I  am  just  in  receipt  of  your  attentive  letter 
dated  the  2nd  instant,  as  well  as  of  the  printed  index  of 
your  work— '"Historia  de  Nuevo  Mejico." 

It  is  to  me  a  most  gratifying-  duty  to  send  you,  before 
anything  else  together  with  my  heartfelt  congratulations 
for  having  brought  to  a  successful  close  so  important  a 
work,  my  most  sincere  acknowledgments  for  the  kind 
phrases  which  you  dedicate  to  me  at  the  end  of  your  Preface: 
and.  even  though  I  feel  that  the  eulogies  you  bestow  on 
ray  modest  cooperation  are  undeserved,  I  cannot  but  feel 
proud,  at  this  moment,  on  account  of  having  placed  my 
work  at  the  service  of  the  history  of  that  country. 
Although  I  am  unacquainted  with  that  history  in  its 
details,  having  not  received  the  volumes  of  it  you  advise 
me  of,  and  for  which  I  am  impatiently  waiting,  I  never- 
theless suppose  ( on  account  of  the  correspondence  between 
us  and  your  constant  searching  after  trustworthy  data ) 
809 


that  it  must  be  a  work  of  genuine  real    merit  and    remark- 
able erudition. 

When  through  our  mutual  friend,  Dr.  Lviis  Hernandez, 
you  requested  from  me  an  extract  of  the  speeches  of  those 
illustrious  personages,  who  came  as  an  honor  to  the  first 
Cortes  of  my  country  in  1810,  and  in  a  most  special  manner, 
those  delivered  by  Don  Pedro  Bta.  Pino,  who  was  the 
representative  from  New  Mexico,  I  felt  somewhat  of  a 
dread,  because  with  all  my  attachment  to  historical  sub- 
jects. I  had  never  so  far  contributed  so  directly  to  the 
formation  of  history. 

When  that  first  work  of  mine  had  happily  ended,  you 
again  required  my  help  in  looking  for  data,  which,  on 
account  of  their  stretching  out  far  back  to  very  remote 
epochs,  would  cost  quite  considerable  money  and  work  to 
obtain;  and  so  it  was  that,  prompted  by  the  same  spirit  of 
inquiry  which  guided  you,  I,  with  the  deepest  interest,  in 
books  already  exhausted,  in  unedited  documents,  in  auto- 
graphs collected  from  who  had  been  glorious  conquerors 
of  those  territories,  and  first  bearers  of  that  civilization 
which  is  today  so  flourishing  there,  did  look  for  the  notices 
and  narratives  which  you  were  in  need  of. 

I  did  not  find  everything  you  asked,  but  I  have  the 
consolation  that  I  did  contribute  something  with  my  notices 
and  the  books  T  have  forwarded  you,  to  the  elucidation  of 
many  points  which  have  escaped  the  notice  of  other 
previous  historians.  My  inability  to  give  you  some  data 
was  not  due  to  lack  of  good  will,  nor  any  failure  of  mine 
in  employing  my  best  efforts  to  find  them.  In  the  National 
Library,  in  that  of  the  Ministi^y  of  War,  in  the  Historical 
Archive,  in  the  Academy  of  History,  and  even  in  the  collec- 
tions of  reputed  book-lovers,  I  have  i^evised  books  and 
documents:  l)ecause  aside  from  furnishing  you  with  the 
support  that  you  desired  of  me,  the  thought  also  has 
guided  me  of  being  useful  to  my  country,  so  unjustly  for- 
gotten by  those  countries  which  are  so  much  indebted  to 
her. 

And  here  ray  letter  would  end,  should  I  not  consider  it  a 
sacred  duty  to  express  to  you,  in  closing  our  so  pleasant 
relations,  that  I  shall  ever  cherish  a  tender  remembrance 
of  the  gentlemanliness  and  loyalty  which  have  characterized 
all  your  letters,  while  it  is  also  grateful  to  me  to  reiterate 
to  you  once  again  tlie  testimony  of   my  sincere  friendship. 

Respectfully, 
ANTONIO  ARAGON. 

New  Mexico  owes  a  large  debt  to  Hon.    Benjamin   Read 
of  Santa  Fe,  teacher,  legislator   and   lawyer,  who  has   for 
years  devoted  his  energy  to  the  collection   and   arranging 
810 


of  historical  material  touchinff  New  Mexico.  His  ''Illus- 
trated History  of  New  Mexico"  is  considered  by  men  most 
competent  to  judu^e  of  its  merits,  as  the  most  complete 
authentic  account  of  the  past  of  our  state.— New  Mexico 
Journal  of  Education,  February  lltll".  number. 


(Hon.  Manuel  K.  Otero,  lleuister  T.  S.  I^and  Office.) 
Santa  Fe,  N.  M..  .Tan.  11,  1!»12. 
Hon.  Benj.  M.  Read. 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 
My  Dearest  Friend:  —  With  the  greatest  pleasure  I  herein 
enclose  my  agreement  to  pay  you  for  your  "Hlustrated 
History  of  New  Mexico."  Permit  me  to  add  that  1  have 
no  adequate  words  with  which  to  express  my  appreciation 
of  the  praise  you  so  fittingly  deserve,  for  the  undaunted 
pains  you  have  taken  and  for  the  labor  and  expenses  you 
must  have  undergone,  to  at  last  set  aright  the  "History" 
of  our  true  and  beloved  New  Mexico,  and  tn  give  our 
ancestors  the  place  they  most  undoubtedly,  really  deserve 
in  the  annals  of  history. 

May  your  name  be  in  the  hearts  and  memory  of  every 
true  and  loyal  descendant  of  tlie  Castillian  race,  because 
you  are  the  first  man  who  has  succeeded  in  accomplishing 
what  other  historians  have  only  attempted. 

May  the  Lord  preserve  your  useful  life  for   the  benefit  of 
our  race  for  many  years  to  come,  is  the  wish  of  your, 
True  and  faithful  friend, 

MANUEL  R.  OTERO. 


Jin  jflrizona  l^istorian. 

(Santa  Fe  New  Mexican  April  b5,  l!U2. ) 
Sharlot  M.  Hall,  the  official  historian  of  Arizona,  and 
widely  known  as  a  gifted  poetess  and  novelist,  has  in  pre- 
paration a  voluminous  history  of  the  neighboring  state. 
She  has  been  engaged  on  this  task  since  October,  1909,  has 
visited  every  corner  of  the  state,  has  collected  books  and 
manuscripts,  taken  hundreds  of  photographs,  interviewed 
old  settlers  and  delved  into  musty  records  wherever  she 
could  find  them.  The  state  is  paying  for  this  and  it  is  a 
wise  expenditure.  In  New  Mexico,  this  work,  however, 
has  been  done  at  the  private  expense  of  one  of  her  citizens, 
Attorney  Benjamin  M.  Read,  who  has  spent  a  fortune  for 
original  manuscripts,  books,  rare  portraits  and  pictures, 
that  serve  to  throw  light  on  the  history  of  New  Mexico, 
which  is  far  more  interesting  and  much  more  far  reaching 
in  its  scope  than  any  history  of  Arizona  could  possibly  be. 
811 


The  result  of  these  painstaking-  labors,  this  expenditure,  is 
embodied  in  an  intensely  interesting  volume  shortly  to  be 
issued  from  the  press  of  the  New  Mexican  Printing  Com- 
pany. The  book  should  find  a  place  in  every  New  Mexico' 
home,  in  every  school  and  in  every  library,  as  the  authentic 
history  of  the  state  that  goes  to  the  original  sources  for 
its  statements  and  that  is  not  a  mere  compilation  gathered 
from  preceding  histories. 


mastcriv  lUork  Ulortby  of  all  Praise. 

( New  Mexican  April  22nd,  1912. ) 
Remarkable  tribute  paid  the  history  of  Hon.  B.  M.  Read 
by  famous  scholar  of  Spain. 

Madrid,  March  30,  1912. 
Mr.  Benjamin  M.  Read, 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 
My    Dear    Sir   and    Distinguished    Friend: — I    have    the 
pleasure  of   acknowledging  receipt  of   your   notable  work, 
the  History  of  New  Mexico,  which  you  have  so  kindly  sent 
to  me. 

1  am  sincerely  grateful  for  your  attentive  courtesy  and 
purpose  to  read  with  all  care  your  publication,  being  sure 
that  I  will  find  therein  historical  facts  and  narratives  of 
great  interest.  As  yet  I  have  had  time  only  to  make  a 
cursory  examination,  and  from  that  I  am  convinced  that  I 
have  before  me  a  masterly  work  wortliy  of  all  praise  and 
on  that  account  I  send  you  my  most  enthusiastic  con- 
gratulations. 

Repeating  my  thanks  for  your  kind  attention,  I  remain 
as  ever  you  affectionate  friend  and  servant. 

ANTONIO  ARAGON  MONTEJO. 
812 


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